Play The Game
by Fae'sFlower
Summary: I have wealth. I have power. I have stature. I have influence. But I feel like nothing more than a mere pawn in the chess game that is Oz. I just have to master the game so I can play it better than the people who think they can play me. AU. Fiyeraba.
1. I Am Elphaba

**This story is loosely based off of the movie** ** _'The Young Victoria'_** **. It is about Queen Victoria, the second longest reigning British monarch, as she rose to power and met her husband, Prince Albert. I watched this movie in my tenth grade Global History class and I really enjoyed it. It's also on Netflix, if anyone wants to check it out.**

 **This story is 21 chapters long. This is the first story that actually managed to completely finish writing before beginning to post and I'm very proud of it.**

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Some people are born more fortunate than others. This was the case with me. But my childhood convinced me of the direct opposite. But what little girl doesn't wish to be a princess?

Actually, I should lay the rumors of me being a princess to rest. I am not a princess. Well… it's not my official title, but possibly the equivalent.

I come from a long line of power. My family is the oldest and most powerful family in all of Munchkinland. The Thropp family line has maintained control over the Eminency of Munchkinland for the last two hundred twenty-four years. Some say that Ozma herself had instated the first Eminent, Ignacious Thropp, as the power of Munchkinland. There are many other stories and theories as well, but that one is the most popular.

But getting back to me. I was raised in the Grand Eminence Palace in Colwen Grounds. And like the name suggests, the palace was very grand. It was a tall, looming building with a large estate surrounding it. But not all palaces are what most people would think. To me, the palace was more like a prison.

I understand that might be a weird analogy, so allow me to explain. My great-grandfather, Peerless Thropp, the current Eminent Thropp at the time, raised me. Well, _he_ didn't exactly raise me. I was one of the only blood family he had left, so it made sense that after my mother died, I would go live with him. Actually, my nanny raised me. She was a kind, middle-aged woman who went only by 'Nanny', so I never knew her real name. I felt like I should have, even though I never intended to use it, but she was steadfast in keeping her real name her own little secret.

But getting back to the palace. There were more rooms than I could ever dream of exploring. I was intrigued and intimidated at the same. When I was younger, the rooms seemed like my personal playground. The only problem was that I had no friends to share it with.

I was three years old when I moved into the palace because my mother died from an illness. Even though I still had my father, I was taken away from him to face my future. Ever since then, my every move in public had been choreographed, from where I sat, how I walked, and even who I looked at and how I looked at them. I began attending public functions when I was five. Most people would think that's too early to expect a child to behave properly at big functions, but I was the exception. I was taught to sit still, to not speak unless spoken to, and which silverware to use at the appropriate times.

Looking back, I don't think I was seen as a child, but rather the future leader of a country. And by 'future leader', I mean 'next in line'.

As I said before, I was the Eminent Thropp's only living blood relative. His daughter, my grandmother, was dead, along with my mother, which meant that I was the only one left. I have a sister, though I didn't really know her. Well, technically, she was my half-sister.

When I was six, three years after I moved into the palace, my father remarried. I didn't go to the wedding. There was a banquet at the palace that evening. My father and his new wife had Nessarose a year later.

I had only met her twice, since we grew up in separate households, but the two times I did see her, she seemed fairly nice. From what I remember, she was a petite girl with chocolate eyes like mine, brown hair that just past her shoulders, freckles, and always seemed to wear a soft smile on her face. But her most defining feature was probably that she was confined to a wheelchair. I don't know the specifics of it, but she was born paralyzed from the waist down and her mother died giving birth to her. She was different, just like me.

I always knew how different I was. There was the green hue of my skin, the fact that I couldn't go to school with other children, and the fact that there was almost always an adult watching my every move. But there was one time, when I was ten years old, that I managed to sneak away into the library and found a large, leather-covered book on the table. I opened it to the bookmarked page and peered down at the highlighted name written in neat cursive on the family tree.

It was then that I found out that I, Elphaba Melena Thropp, was the Thropp Third Descending until my mother died. When she did, I became the Heir Apparent, the next in line for the Eminency of Munchkinland.

My earliest memories of the palace weren't all dark and gloomy. I remember the sound of my happy giggles filling the Grand Eminence Palace. I was dressed in only a white slip, laughing at the top of my lungs. My long, raven hair flew wildly behind me as Nanny ran after me, screaming at me to stop.

"Mistress Elphaba, please come here!" she shouted.

Whether I didn't hear her over my giggles or I was ignoring her is unclear to me now. It was probably the latter. I was six years old. I had no desire to sit still. I wanted to play.

Suddenly, I stopped giggling and running, and I remember the exact reason why. By the time Nanny caught up with me, she saw why, too.

My great-grandfather stood over me, his eyes glaring down at me. The look he gave me could have made milk spoil. I remember being completely terrified of him. He wasn't exactly the warmest, most loving person in my life.

" _What_ is going on out here?" he had asked. Even though he was seventy-three years old, he was still in very good health and had a lot more energy than most men his age.

Nanny had stepped forward and gently pulled me back. "I apologize, Your Eminence," she said humbly with a curtsy.

My great-grandfather continued to look down at me, my eyes never leaving his face. "That is not an answer to my question."

I remained silent and slowly looked down at my bare feet. I knew I was going to get in trouble for this.

"Young lady, what have I told you about running around like some uncouth schoolchild?" he asked, his voice hardening as he spoke.

"Not to," I said softly.

"And do you or do you not have trouble remembering such simple instructions?"

"No."

"No what?"

I bit my lip. "No, sir."

"Put on your uniform and go to your lessons," he said as he turned to go back into his office.

"Will you read to me?" I asked right before he closed the door. I already knew the answer, but I still had to try.

"Not now."

That meant 'no'. "Later?"

"No. Get dressed and get to your lessons." He looked at Nanny. "And I expect to not be disturbed by such racket again."

"Yes, Your Eminence," Nanny nodded with another curtsy.

The door slammed shut and Nanny immediately grabbed my wrist and pulled me down the hall, ignoring my protests to be released. She smartly slapped my mouth when I got too loud, which only made me angrier with her.

I was dragged back into my room and she closed the door behind me. She got out my official Eminence uniform, which consisted of a white blouse, navy blazer with the Munchkinland insignia on it, a matching, long, pleated navy skirt and tie, stockings, and black shoes. Once I was dressed, Nanny sat me down and brushed my hair before braiding it in a tight braid. I hated having my hair in a braid. I used to admire the way my hair would cascade off my shoulders like a waterfall. But a braid would not allow for such admiration.

Once she finished, we went to the mini-classroom and I began my private lessons with my tutor.

The tutor despised me, and even though he tried to hide it, I knew better. True, I was very smart, especially for a six-year-old, but I was very defiant. I would question everything, no matter what I was told. It drove the tutor mad, and he would often find himself yelling at me, but I would only yell back, and would only stop at the threat of him getting my great-grandfather. I knew he wouldn't, because he would be in just as much trouble as me, but I didn't want to risk it.

After what would seem like an eternity, my lessons for the day would finish and I would immediately retreat back to my room and close the door behind me. I would take my hair out of the braid and run my fingers through my silky tresses.

I remember kneeling down next to my bed and opening a secret drawer only I knew about. When there are adults constantly around you, it is hard to keep secrets, but I managed to succeed with this. I pulled out a book of fairy tales and climb onto my bed and opened to where I had left off.

I wasn't allowed to read books that my great-grandfather considered 'frivolous', and fairy tale books were at the top of his list. I was very limited in my choices of literature, which consisted mostly history books and biographies. The only time I could read a novel would be if I snuck into the palace library and took one, and kept it a secret.

There was more than one reason why I liked this book. Sure, I loved reading about the beautiful princesses that grew up in faraway lands and had everything their hearts desired. They had loving families and were loved by everyone. Most people would think this was my life, but I actually had the exact opposite. I looked at the colorful pictures of the book. They immediately captivated my mind and helped me to travel out of my lonely world.

But more importantly, this book was one of the last things I had of my mother. According to my father, she would read this book to me every night before I went to sleep. I could barely remember my mother, and what I did remember was very fragmented and incomplete.

Footsteps caught my attention and I quickly jumped off the bed and put the book back in the secret drawer. I retreated to my window seat just as the door opened, revealing Nanny.

"Dinner is ready. Mistress Elphaba, what have you done to your hair?" Nanny gasped. She didn't wait for me to answer before she started rebraiding my hair. "Your great-grandfather won't like it if he sees you with your hair out."

In all honesty, I think she expected me to protest, and maybe even kick her, for rebraiding my hair, but I simply sat still, though not without a frown, and allowed her to do whatever she wanted.

"Mistress Elphaba?"

I looked up at her with a blank expression before hurrying past her and down to the dining room.

Dinner, as usual, was a very silent affair. My great-grandfather sat at one end of the long table, while I sat on the other end. Servants hurried in and out, clearing plates, bringing more food, and refilling glasses.

Most families used dinnertime to talk about their days, but that was not the case for me. My great-grandfather would only speak to me to scold me. His voice was always hard and cold, as if all the warmth and love had been sucked out of him. Maybe it was because he felt alone. But he wasn't alone. He had me. But I'm not quite sure he really wanted me.

I remember seeing him sitting stiffly in his chair, silently cutting his meat. He slowly lifted his gaze to me and realized that I wasn't eating. "Elphaba, eat."

"I don't like meat," I whispered.

His face hardened. "Elphaba, eat your food."

"I don't like meat," I repeated, a bit louder.

Great-grandfather slowly rose to his feet, his hands fisted against the table. The maids who were standing by slowly shrunk back in fear. I must admit that I was beginning to feel a bit scared myself, but I stood my ground. "Elphaba, I will not tell you again. Eat your food."

"I'm not hungry. I don't like meat."

In the blink of an eye, Great-grandfather was next to me and smacked me against the face. I almost fell out of my chair as the loud slap rung in the air. I placed my hand on my cheek, feeling blood rush to the spot where the palm of his hand met my face, but I didn't cry. Instead, I gave him a hard, defiant glare, which only made him angrier.

"Go to your room," he whispered, sending chills down my spine.

I didn't move.

"Now!" he boomed, already preparing to hit me again.

I blinked, my entire face hot, then stood up and hurried away, tears still refusing to fall from my eyes. I ran into my room, slamming the door behind me. I knew I would probably be reprimanded for this incident the next day, but at that moment, I didn't care. I went over to my bed and reached under my pillow. Another secret that I kept was that I had a little, green bottle under my pillow. It matched the exact shade of my skin. According to my father, it belonged to my mother. I didn't know what she used it for, and I doubted it held much significance to her, but it was _hers_ , and that was good enough for me.

I simply held it against my chest, my fingers tightly wrapped around the cold glass. A single tear slid down my cheek, but I quickly wiped it away. I refused to cry. Great-grandfather said crying is what weak people do. And I was preparing to lead a country. I couldn't be weak. Therefore, I couldn't cry. But at that moment, I really wanted to.

When Nanny came to check up on me, I feigned being asleep. I didn't want to talk to her or anyone else. I wanted to be left alone. I heard her slowly enter the room and approach my bed. I closed my eyes and breathed deeply, hoping to convince her that I was asleep. She placed her hand against my forehead, and I had to try really hard not to grimace and turn away. Nanny was gentle. She was probably trying to comfort me, but I didn't believe I needed to be comforted. I had lived my life so far with minimal displays of affection, so I wasn't going to start craving it now.

"Goodnight, mon ange," Nanny whispered as she pulled the blankets over my tiny body and cracked the window open before leaving, softly closing the door behind her.

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 **So, thoughts? Comments? Do we like that this is told from Elphaba's POV?**


	2. I Am A Leader

**Thank you all so much for your reviews! I'm glad we like reading this story through Elphaba's eyes!**

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"Miss Elphaba, it's time to get up now."

I slowly opened my eyes to Nanny standing next to my bed. I pushed myself up with a yawn and she curtsied.

"Your great-grandfather has a meeting after breakfast and expects you to join him."

I sighed. I really didn't want to attend another meeting. It was a beautiful March day and I would rather stroll through the gardens. Reluctantly, I got up and allowed Nanny to help me wash and dress. I found it rather embarrassing that Nanny would still help me. One would think that a sixteen-year-old would be more than capable of attending to herself, but like I said before, I was different. And I must confess, I liked the way Nanny drew bubble baths. The regular household maids sometimes put too much soap in or made the water too cold. But Nanny knew my preferences and fulfilled them perfectly.

Once I was dressed in my uniform, I met my great-grandfather downstairs for breakfast. I still sat on one end of the table while he sat on the other and we ate in silence. I wasn't very hungry, but for some reason, I couldn't stop myself from eating. Once we finished, he stood and glanced over at me. I stood as well and he wordlessly walked out of the dining hall.

"Come," was all he said to me when he reached the doorway and I followed him to the meeting room.

"His Eminence, Peerless Thropp, and Her Excellency, Elphaba Melena."

The door opened as we were announced and everyone in the room stood and bowed their heads. Around seven or eight older men, probably a bit younger than my great-grandfather, sat around a long, rectangular table. Great-grandfather and I headed to the head of the table and sat down in the two chairs provided. They weren't the most comfortable chairs, but at least they were cushioned.

As the meeting dragged on, I began to let my mind wander. I was not expected to contribute in any way, but just listen to what was being discussed. As long as I looked like I was paying attention, I could daydream all I wanted.

I imagined I was in my room, reading a novel. I wasn't allowed to read many novels, and even if I was, I would barely have any time to do it. I had a strong preference for mystery novels, but Nanny secretly bought me _Tylan's Treasure_ , a romance novel by Yeshwan DiLurian, as a birthday present, and I really enjoyed it.

Around two hours later, the meeting was finally over. Great-grandfather stood and so did I and the other men in the room. As we left, I could feel everyone's eyes on me and I wondered if I had missed something important.

I walked together with Great-grandfather down the hall. He didn't speak to me and I didn't speak to him. Nanny was waiting for me at the end of the hall to escort me to my lessons.

"The grand duke of the Gillikin is coming this afternoon," Great-grandfather said before we parted ways. "And he is bringing his daughter. You are expected to entertain her."

"Yes, sir," I nodded and watched him go.

I had known the grand duke's daughter for around five years. The Grand Duchess Galinda Upland was… to put it in simple terms, a handful. We were around eleven or twelve when we first met, and since then, she has declared me her "bestest friend". She had bestowed the extremely perky nickname of "Elphie" on me, though I don't understand why. I didn't dare try to argue with her, since upsetting her would have meant trouble for me with Great-grandfather. She was a practically perfect girl living a practically perfect life. I associated one word with her; perky.

My lessons were boring, as usual. My tutor lectured for forty-five minutes, making me want nothing more than to fly out of the room. I'm sure he caught me drifting off, but he didn't say anything. He was probably just as annoyed as I was. Afterwards, he gave me a large packet on the ruby mining industry of Munchkinland and said that he expected a two-page summary the next day.

Once it was over, Nanny came to collect me and we went back to my room.

"I will take tea in my room, Nanny," I told her as I sat in my window seat, flipping through the packet.

"Of course, Miss Elphaba," she said with a slight curtsy and left.

Huffing, I threw the packet to the ground. I could probably get away with just skimming through it and writing a summary of the things that appeared interesting. I mean, I suppose the whole ruby mining industry itself is somewhat interesting in its own right. Munchkinland is the only country in Oz known to have rubies buried deep beneath its grounds. It is also our main export. Most people think it was corn, since Munchkinland is known for its fast corn crops, but we actually export more rubies than corn. That was something I found interesting, which I couldn't say about everything I had learned.

Nanny returned with the tea and eyed the packet lying carelessly on the floor. I ignored her, and she understood that I didn't want to talk about it. Nanny knew me so well, probably better than I knew myself.

"Do you need anything else, Miss Elphaba?"

"No, thank you, Nanny."

Nanny nodded. "The grand duke and duchess will be here in two hours."

I hummed as she left. As soon as she closed the door, I immediately got up and stripped off my uniform, carelessly tossing it to the ground. I looked down and, thinking the better of it, picked it up, neatly folded it, and placed it on my bed. Clad in only my undergarments, I searched my closet for a more comfortable, yet appropriate, dress to wear. I eventually decided on a dark purple velvet dress with long sleeves and a long skirt. I had a very selective wardrobe, since it was very important for my clothes not to clash with my skin. I had never been one for fashion and mostly left it to Nanny to choose my clothes.

I looked in the mirror and took my hair down, letting a sigh of relief as the pressure of the tightly pulled strands were released. My hair was still wavy from the braid and I ran my fingers through my locks. Over the years, I grew more accustomed to my uniform braid. It was manageable, practical, and kept my long hair out of my face. One time, I told Nanny I wanted to cut it, but she immediately pushed that idea away.

"Your hair is beautiful, Miss Elphaba. Why would you dream of cutting it?" was all she had said.

I drank my tea, thinking about seeing Galinda again. The last time I saw her was two years ago at a ball her family threw. I went alone, representing my great-grandfather. I had an enjoyable time, even though I was never one for big parties. I knew they were an inevitable part of my future, but that did not mean I had to like them.

Two hours passed more quickly than I expected and soon, I found myself in the foyer with my great-grandfather, hearing the sound of the carriage approach. I had pulled my hair back into a low ponytail, but I could feel my great-grandfather's eyes glaring at me, mostly in disapproval. But he didn't say anything out loud, so I guess he didn't think it was important enough at that moment. A few clock-ticks later, the doors opened and our guests were announced.

"Your Eminence," the grand duke bowed, and his daughter curtsied.

I looked at the grand duchess. Her long, blond hair fell in perfect curls off her shoulders. Her cerulean eyes gleamed in lively, youthful energy. She was petite, not much shorter than me, although she was a few months older. Her facial features were soft and she wore a bit of blush on her cheeks. Her outfit consisted of a long-sleeved light pink blouse with a matching skirt and shoes.

"Welcome, Your Grace. And Lady Galinda," my great-grandfather said with a nod.

"Your Excellency," the duke greeted me.

"Your Grace," I curtsied slightly. "Lady Galinda."

Galinda gave me a beaming smile. "Hello, Your Excellency." She sounded genuinely happy to see me. I smiled back, hoping it didn't look fake.

"This way, please," my great-grandfather said to the duke, and I motioned for Galinda to follow me into the parlor.

I knew that entertaining her wouldn't be too difficult. We would probably just go for a walk in the gardens and she'd play with my hair until her father was finished.

Just as I suspected, the grand duchess wanted a tour of the estate, which I gladly provided her. Afterwards, we sat under the small pavilion in the garden and made small talk.

"Isn't your birthday coming up soon, Elphie?" Galinda asked as we ate the small pound cakes set out for us.

My birthday was in two months, so I hardly counted that as 'coming up soon'. "Yes."

"And the Munchkin coming-of-age age is seventeen, correct?"

"Yes."

"So you'll have a grand party?"

"I suppose so. My birthdays have never been a big deal." On the contrary, my birthday was always the talk of Munchkinland, but inside the palace was a different story.

"But you must have a coming-of-age party."

Was this the grand duchess' way of getting invited to a party here? I surely thought so. Either way, I continued to amuse her. "I might. If I wanted one, I would have to tell the staff now so they could prepare." Coming-of-age parties were supposed to be fun events for family and friends to celebrate, but my coming-of-age party would probably just be used for dignitaries and other rulers to come and talk to me.

Galinda looked positively elated. "Excellent!"

We finished the pound cakes and tea and continued talking until a maid came to tell us that my great-grandfather and the duke were finished.

"Thank you for this very informational meeting, Your Eminence," the duke said, nodding to my grandfather.

"Of course, Your Grace," Great-grandfather nodded.

"It was a pleasure seeing you again, Your Excellency," Galinda curtsied to me.

"You as well, Lady Galinda," I said formally with a nod. "I hope we can see each other again soon."

I sounded too formal to be genuine, but if I was honest with myself, I _was_ being genuine. I _did_ want to see Galinda again. She was the only person my age who I could have real conversations with. She was the only person I considered a friend.

"I do, as well," she said and she and her father left.

As soon as they were gone, Great-grandfather wordlessly turned and went back to his study. I went back up to my room and found Nanny putting my clothes away.

"Miss Elphaba," she curtsied. "Would you like anything?"

"No, thank you, Nanny," I said, sitting down at my desk. "I suppose I'll start on my summary for tomorrow."

"Of course, Miss," Nanny said, taking the hint to leave and hurrying out of the room.

I watched her go. Ever since I turned twelve, she became more formal around me, even when we were alone. She wasn't as affectionate as she used to be, and while I understand that it wasn't her place anymore, she still raised me. She was the only person in the whole estate who called me 'Miss Elphaba'. Everyone else called me 'Your Excellency'. Nanny was the only one who could get away with it, I suppose. But I missed the days when she would call me her 'angel'. I never got a lot of affection as a child, so hers was very special.

I was almost done with my summary when someone knocked on my door. "Come in," I called, thinking it was Nanny.

The door opened and I turned, seeing a maid. "Your Excellency," she curtsied.

"Yes?"

"You have received a letter from Rush Margins."

I reached out my hand and she handed me the letter. Only two people I know of are from Rush Margins; my father and Nessarose. "Thank you, Nohma."

The maid curtsied and left. I looked at the neat cursive handwriting on the front of the envelope. I carefully tore open the envelope and put on my reading glasses.

 _Dear Elphaba_ , it read,

 _I hope this letter finds you well. I know it's been a while since our last correspondence, but I understand that you are extremely busy._

 _I am writing to you because my tenth birthday is coming up next month on the sixth. Father is planning a very small party at our house and it would mean so much to me if you could be there. This is the first party I'm having that's more than just the two of us. Father allowed me to invite a few of my friends. I understand that you might have a previous engagement, but I figured I would write to you and let you know._

 _I know we've barely met, but I would love to see you again and get the chance to know you better._

 _Your sister,_

 _Nessarose_

I reread the letter. I didn't remember the last time I was back home in Rush Margins. I thought for a moment. I couldn't recall any obligations off the top of my head. I really did want to go see my sister and Father again. I really missed them.

I walked out of the room with the letter in my hand. I walked down the stairs to Great-grandfather's study and knocked on the door.

"Enter," he called.

I turned the knob and slowly pushed the door open.

He looked up at me and frowned. "Yes?"

"Do we have any obligations on April sixth?" I asked as I stepped in, closing the door behind me.

His eyes narrowed. "Why?"

"I have been invited back to Rush Margins for Nessarose's tenth birthday party."

"Who is Nessarose?"

"My sister."

"You don't have a sister."

"She's Father's second wife's daughter." That sounded a lot less weird in my head.

Great-grandfather worked his jaw, and I had absolutely no idea what he was thinking. "Why do you want to go?"

"I haven't seen them in ages," I said, hoping to plead my case. "I've only met Nessarose twice, and since we're family, I thought –"

"What good would this do Munchkinland?"

I blinked. "I'm sorry?"

"How would you attending this event help to better the country?"

Did he really just ask me that? I asked him to see my family again, and he's asking me about the country? "I miss them."

"That's not a good enough reason."

"I rarely see her, and I'm usually too busy to write to her and –"

"You are _busy_ preparing for your future role as Eminence of Munchkinland," Great-grandfather said sternly. "You are next in line and must take your duties seriously."

"I do," I said, trying not to get angry. "I take my duties very seriously. But –"

"But?"

"But I was wondering if I could… take a break."

As soon as those last three words left my mouth, I knew they were the wrong words to say. Great-grandfather's face hardened and I knew that whatever chance I had of him saying yes was now gone.

"You don't get to 'take a break' when you're the Eminent Thropp, Elphaba," he said. "Clearly you still have so much more to learn." He pulled out his date book and flipped through the pages. "There is a council assembly on April sixth. You must attend." He closed the book and looked back down at the papers on his desk. "You may not go to Rush Margins."

"But, sir –"

"What is more important; learning how to govern the country you will rule over one day, or attending a child's silly, little birthday party?"

I blinked back tears as I bit my lip. "I understand."

"Good. Now, put your uniform back on. And I don't want to hear any more talk of this party or of you wanting to 'take a break'."

"Of course. I apologize for being foolish."

Great-grandfather huffed and dismissed me. I walked out, closing the door behind me as I hurried back up to my room. I was upset, but I didn't know if I was upset enough to cry. Yet here I was with tears threatening to form in my eyes. Deep down, I knew he would say no.

Ever since I moved into the palace, he had tried to keep my interactions with my father as minimal as possible. He never liked him. Apparently, my mother was supposed to marry a rich dignitary and not a middle-class preacher. But my grandparents had approved of the marriage (well… I don't know that for sure, but I do know that they weren't _completely_ against it).

I went back up to my room and pulled out a paper with the official Colwen Grounds letterhead on top.

 _Dear Nessarose_ , I wrote,

 _I am so happy for you. I know how important this birthday is to you. Unfortunately, I have a prior obligation that day, so I will be unable to make it to your birthday party. I am so sorry._

 _I hope everything is going well for you. Please give Father my love and I really do hope that I will be able to see both of you soon._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Elphaba_

I put the letter in an envelope and addressed it. Just as I was about to ring for a maid, Nanny came back in.

"Oh, excuse me, Miss Elphaba," she said, curtsying. "I didn't know you were still in here."

"It's alright," I said as I watched Nanny bring in clean linens to change my bed. "Could you do me a favor?"

"Of course."

I handed her the envelope. "Could you have this posted as soon as possible, please?"

"Of course, Miss Elphaba." She took the letter and curtsied again, leaving me alone to my thoughts, and to try and ignore the sinking feeling in my stomach.


	3. I Am The Future

I spent the next two weeks trying my best not to show how upset I was from being denied going to Nessarose's birthday party. I never asked for much, but when I did, I could always count on my great-grandfather to say no. I wondered if people would still say 'no' to me when I became Eminent. Every time my great-grandfather conducted official business, I became his shadow. Even though he showed no signs of slowing down anytime soon, he was still making it very clear that my time to rule was approaching fast.

"And so, Your Eminence, the nuns of the Sister Saint Aelphaba Orphanage are requesting a bit more funds so they may keep their school open."

Great-grandfather looked down at a bill of Munchkinland's funds and looked back at his advisor. "What would the money be used for?"

"Fixing leaks in the roof, ordering new books, hiring better teachers, and the like, Your Eminence," the advisor said, also reading from a paper.

I sat silently in the corner, watching. I supposed I should have been taking notes, but I figured I wasn't going to be tested on this particular matter.

"How much are they requesting?"

"Three thousand green pennies."

Great-grandfather sighed. "That is quite steep." He rubbed his brow. "I will grant them two thousand so they can fix the roof and make any other major repairs to keep the school open."

"And the books and teachers?"

"Will just have to wait until the next term." He signed a paper and put it aside. He looked back at me, probably to make sure I hadn't fallen asleep. I had been completely silent the entire time. "Are you paying attention, Elphaba?"

"Yes, sir," I nodded.

"This will be your job soon. Listening to endless requests from your people. It will be your duty to help them."

"I understand, sir."

Great-grandfather hummed and wrote something down. I looked at him to avoid looking at the advisor, who was looking at me. I shifted my gaze down to my lap, playing with the hem of my uniform skirt.

An hour and a lot of official business later, Great-grandfather dismissed me to go up to my room and study. I curtsied to him and left, going up the stairs to my room, but having no intention to study. I had more important things on my mind.

I went over to my desk and looked at the calendar. April sixth was exactly one week away, and I still didn't have a present for Nessarose. What did ten-year-old girls like? I tried to think back to what I liked when I was ten, but my childhood was filled with so much official business, I didn't have time to like things that other girls liked. I barely knew anything about Nessarose's personality or preference, so I was at a loss. And even though I didn't know much about her, I doubted she wanted a book on the history of Munchkinland's industrial revolution.

"What do ten-year-old girls like?" I asked Nanny as she brushed my hair that night.

Nanny paused, considering the question. "Books, dolls, things that are sparkly and pretty, new dresses… why do you ask?"

"I need a present for Nessarose. I am missing her birthday… again… and I want to get her something special."

"Maybe jewelry. Nothing too fancy, since she's still a child, but something very sparkly and shiny."

Sparkly and shiny. Nessarose would probably like that. I figured that anything Galinda would like, Nessarose would probably like, too. And even if it wasn't her personal preference, she would hopefully still like it because it came from me.

Saturday was tomorrow. With to duties to perform with Great-grandfather, I could ask to go to the village stores and try to find a present for Nessarose. I just hoped I would be allowed to.

* * *

Much to my surprise, Great-grandfather allowed me to go out. Albeit not by myself, of course. Never by myself. I had to go with two guards, which was a fair price to pay for me leaving Colwen Grounds. As I settled myself in between them in the carriage, I suddenly felt unsure. What if Nessarose didn't like the present? What if she already owned what I gave her? I really wished I knew her better.

When we reached the busy down, my hope was to make this trip as quick and painless as possible. But my two bodyguards clearly had other ideas.

They quickly, and loudly, announced my presence and the whole square seemed to go silent. I pressed my lips together in a tight smile, trying to not show how annoyed I was with what just happened.

As I walked, the people around me immediately quieted down and bowed their heads in deference. Even the young children, who clearly didn't know what was going on, but were merely mimicking their parents, bowed to me. I continued walking, trying not to look directly at anyone.

My first stop was the jewelry shop. It wasn't the most expensive jewelry show, but clearly not meant for people who were of the lower-middle class and below.

"Your Excellency," the man behind the counter bowed. "What a pleasure. How may I help you today?"

"Hello," I greeted him. "I'm looking for a gift for… a friend. She's turning ten, so nothing too fancy."

"Of course," the man said, immediately bringing out samples of necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and rings.

I said no to most of them. None of them were really catching my eye. I knew I wasn't shopping for myself, but I still figured that if it didn't interest me, it probably wouldn't interest Nessarose.

Suddenly, a pink, metal bracelet studded with sparkly, colorful jewels caught my eye. "May I see that one, please?"

The man nodded and gave me the bracelet to inspect. I immediately declared that I wanted to purchase it. It was pretty, sparkly, and shiny, everything Nanny told me ten-year-old girls liked.

"Would you like it engraved, Your Excellency?"

I thought for a moment. "No, thank you," I said. It seemed a little extra, especially since I figured that I don't know Nessarose well enough to get her something engraved. To me, that was something to do exclusively for your close loved ones.

I paid for the bracelet by telling the man to put it on my personal Colwen Grounds tab. I never carried actual money around with me when I went out, and I barely went out. I was told that it was dangerous, in case something was to happen to me. I thought it was ridiculous. Everyone carries money around, not worried about what would happen to it if something happened to them.

"Not everyone has a fortune like yours, Your Excellency," I had been told.

I didn't know the exact amount of my fortune, but I knew it was a lot, even outside Munchkin standards.

I thanked the man and walked out of the store with my bracelet. As I walked out, I noticed that a crowd had gathered by the store, eager to see what I had purchased. I gave everyone a soft smile, but the guards shooed the crowd away. I felt a bit bad. I never really showed my face in public, and this was probably the first time a lot of people were seeing their future leader. Although, I must admit, having everyone staring at me made me feel a bit uncomfortable, but I knew this was just the beginning. Once I became the Eminent, a _lot_ more people would be staring at me.

"Is that all, Your Excellency?" one of the guards asked.

"Actually, I would like to walk around for a bit," I said, looking around.

"Your Excellency –"

"I've never seen the village before, and I don't know when I will ever get another chance like this again."

The guards clearly weren't happy with this, but agreed and walked beside me, glaring at anything that looked suspicious, which included people who stared at me for longer than two seconds.

As we passed a toy shop, I stopped to look in the window. There, standing on a small, glass table, was a beautiful, porcelain doll. Her auburn hair fell just past her shoulders and was lightly curled and half pulled up with a pink ribbon. Her eyes were greyish-green, her nose was dainty, and her lips seemed to curl into a very subtle smile. The dress she was wearing was a frilly, light blue, and stopped at her ankles. The long sleeves were puffy and the cuffs of the sleeves, as well as the skirt of the dress, were adorned with a lace-patterned ribbon.

I smiled, immediately going into the store and purchasing the doll. When we came out, the guards offered to carry my bags, but I assured them that I was perfectly capable of carrying both bags; especially when I placed the jewelry store bag into the toy store bag to condense.

As we walked, we passed the ice cream parlor. There, sitting outside, was a group of around five or six girls. They looked around my age and they were all eating ice cream and laughing together. They were clearly best friends, or just regular friends laughing at a very funny joke. Either way, they were laughing and looking like they were having an amazing time. They didn't have to worry about the ruby mines or an orphanage school in need of repair. They just had to worry about the latest fashions and boys and… other things like that.

"It's getting late," one of the guards said. "Perhaps Your Excellency would like to go back to the carriage and head back to the palace."

"I suppose," I sighed, not really wanting to go back. "I got what I came here for."

"Very good, Your Excellency," the other guard said as they escorted me back to the carriage.

As soon as I returned to Colwen Grounds, I put both presents in my closet. I felt like I was hiding them, which I didn't understand why. It wasn't like Nessarose was going to sneak into my room and try to figure out what I got her. I had received a short reply from her after I told her I couldn't come to her party. She said that although she was disappointed, she completely understood and recognized that my duties as future ruler came first. That made me feel even worse. Even a future monarch shouldn't have to miss important family events like this.

Nanny came in to check up on me, but I shooed her away. I didn't want to be rude, but I was exhausted and wanted to rest before Great-grandfather called me to look at, read, or study something else. I collapsed onto my bed with a groan. My feet were beginning to regret all the walking I had done. I made a mental note to request a pair of walking shoes.

Three days before Nessarose's birthday, I wrapped both of her presents and wrote a quick card saying how sorry I was that I couldn't make it and that I hoped she had a wonderful birthday. Once I was finished, I called for a maid to post the package for me.

"Please be sure to tell the postal office to be extremely careful with this package," I said as I handed her the large box. "Something very fragile is in here."

"Of course, Your Excellency," she curtsied and hurried away.

I watched her go, hoping that Nessarose would like her gifts.

* * *

On April sixth, Nessarose's birthday, Nanny woke me up to get me ready for the council assembly. After a soothing bath, I came out, clad in only my robe, to find my official uniform laid out on my bed, along with my Colwen Grounds sash.

"Must I wear the sash?" I asked Nanny as she helped me with my blazer.

"Your great-grandfather requested it, Miss Elphaba," Nanny responded as she sat me down at my vanity and brushed my hair.

I frowned at my reflection as Nanny finished. A servant came to announce that the council had assembled and my great-grandfather was waiting for me. I thanked him and Nanny as I hurried out of my room. I didn't want to keep Great-grandfather waiting.

As I arrived at the meeting room, I saw Great-grandfather standing with two guards. They weren't the same guards that escorted me to the city, and I didn't know their names.

I curtsied and he nodded. The doors opened as we were both announced. As usual, all the men gathered there bowed their heads as we passed.

As we sat down, I really had to try and focus on the meeting instead of letting my mind drift off to Nessarose's birthday. Did she get my gifts? Did she like them? How was her party going? Was she having a good time? Did she miss me?

"… Which is why I believe that it is in the best interest of all of Munchkinland, as well as Your Eminence's, that there be a regency if Her Excellency must ascend to the throne before she is old enough."

I snapped back to reality as I felt everyone's eyes on me. I glanced over at my great-grandfather, wondering if I was allowed to speak. He narrowed his eyes at me, signaling that if I didn't speak, I would be in trouble later.

"I turn seventeen next month, so I will be of age soon," I said, addressing everyone, since I didn't know who spoke last.

"With all due respect, Your Excellency, you are still very young."

I adjusted my gaze to the man who spoke, an older senator who had been on the council for as long as I can remember. "I have been preparing to take charge since I was a child, have I not, Sir Liunes?" I asked, sitting up straighter. After all these years, now was _not_ the time I wanted to be questioned whether or not I was ready to rule.

"But you still have so much to learn, and this is not a 'learn as you go' type of job."

"So, if I must ascend to the throne before I turn seventeen…"

"Actually, Your Excellency, my proposal was for you to wait until you are twenty-five before you become Eminent."

I froze. Twenty-five? "Why twenty-five?"

"It will give you enough time to learn what the job truly entails and to prepare for the role."

I didn't know what to say. "And who would be regent in my place?"

"One of His Eminence's advisors, or a high-ranking counsel member –"

"Such as yourself?"

"Elphaba," Great-grandfather said warningly, but I ignored him.

Sir Liunes paled a bit. "I didn't mean myself _specifically_ , Your Excellency, but –"

"Do you lack the faith that I am smart enough to make decisions that would benefit the country and not send it spiraling down a dark abyss?"

I could feel the tension in the room beginning to rise, and I decided that I could use it to my advantage.

"Yes… I mean no… I mean… we just don't want the other countries to think that they can take advantage of Munchkinland because you are so young."

"I can assure you that I am smart enough to make sound decisions," I said as I slowly rose to my feet. Out of my peripheral vision, I could see the other council members wondering if they should also stand, even though my great-grandfather was still seated.

"Elphaba, sit down," he growled softly.

"Your Excellency," Sir Liunes said nervously. "I mean no disrespect, but –"

"But you think that I am just a silly little child who has no idea of how politics and government work. I knew how they worked since I was eight."

"I understand, ma'am, but due to –"

"Enough!" my great-grandfather boomed and the room instantly got quiet.

I slowly sat back down, glaring at Sir Liunes and trying to avoid looking at Great-grandfather. I could feel his fiery glare on the side of my face, but I ignored it. I knew that I was going to be in some deep, hot water for this little outburst, but I pushed that thought away.

I would have preferred going to Nessarose's birthday party.


	4. I Am A Sister

"Your behavior in there was atrocious! Never have I witnessed such disrespect in my own council!"

I sat in Great-grandfather's study as he lectured me. Well… he was yelling more than lecturing.

"I have never been more embarrassed in my entire life."

"You wish for there to be a regency?" I asked, coldness slipping into my voice.

"You have clearly proven today that there needs to be one! You think you are prepared, but you are clearly not!"

"I have been preparing ever since I was three! Every moment of my life, I've spent preparing!"

"Don't you raise your voice at me, young lady!"

"The assembly thinks that I will fail as ruler."

"And after the behavior you displayed today, they have every reason to."

I was silent. I was tired of arguing. I knew it wouldn't get me anywhere. I looked down at my hands and closed my eyes.

"Is there anything else you have to say for yourself?"

"No."

I heard him sigh. "Go to your room."

I opened my eyes and stood. Curtsying to my great-grandfather, I fled the study and hurried up to my room. I closed the door behind me, locking it and I sank down to the floor. This time, when I felt tears in my eyes, I didn't try to stop them. I let them slide down my cheek. I tried not to make a lot of noise, lest someone hear me, so I buried my face in my hands.

That evening, I didn't see Great-grandfather at dinner. I figured that he probably requested to eat alone, and I didn't blame him. I had calmed down significantly since earlier that day, and I must admit, crying actually made me feel better. I couldn't explain it, but it really helped me to calm myself.

Two days later, I received a letter from Nessarose.

 _Dear Elphaba,_

 _Thank you so much for the beautiful bracelet and the gorgeous doll. I can't tell you how surprised I was when Father gave me your package. I honestly didn't expect you to send me anything. But I am very grateful that you did._

 _I had a wonderful birthday. The party was very small and intimate, and I do wish you could have been there._

 _I hope you are doing well, and I hope to meet you again soon so I can thank you in person._

 _Your sister,_

 _Nessarose_

I smiled at the letter. I was glad Nessa liked the gifts. It made me feel less bad about not actually being there. I put the letter on the corner of my desk and stood.

"Miss Elphaba?"

I looked up to see Nanny standing in the doorway. "Yes, Nanny?"

"Your great-grandfather wants to see you in his office."

I let out a sigh as I stood. If Nanny was surprised or amused by that action, she didn't say anything as she followed me down the stairs to the office. The door was open and my great-grandfather was looking up, so there was no need for me to knock.

"The Wizard has called a council of all the leaders of the five countries of Oz," he said as he stood from behind his desk.

He didn't invite me in, so I simply stood in the doorway. "When do we leave?"

"I will be attending alone."

I didn't know if that was a good or bad thing after what happened at the council assembly, so I simply nodded. "When do you leave?"

"I leave the day after tomorrow and will be gone for three days."

I nodded again.

"While I am gone, you are to be on your best behavior. There are no meetings to attend, so I want you to solely focus on your studies."

"Yes, sir."

"Good. You may go."

I curtsied and left, but instead of going back to my room, I went into the parlor. A maid was in there cleaning the windows, and she immediately curtsied when she saw me. I nodded to her and sat down on the couch, pulling the newspaper from the coffee table. I flipped to the comics' section and scanned through the slides. And I knew they were meant to be funny, but for some reason, I wasn't laughing. Did people really laugh at these colorless pencil drawings?

Suddenly, I got an idea. If my great-grandfather would be gone for a few days, that meant I could invite Nessarose and Father to the palace. But I knew I had to do it secretly. If he found out what I wanted, he would forbid it.

I hurried up to my room and quickly wrote Nessarose a letter asking her if she and Father would like to spend a day with me at the palace. I included proper postage so she could return her answer in the express mail.

I hurried down to the foyer just in time to catch Ernst, our errand runner. "Have you made the postal run, Ernst?"

The young boy turned and bowed. "Not yet, Your Excellency. Would you like for me to deliver something for you?"

"Yes, please," I said as I handed him the letter.

Ernst took it and bowed before disappearing.

Two days later, just after Great-grandfather left for the Emerald City, I received Nessarose's response.

She and Father were coming on the twelfth, the next day.

Even though it was just a letter, I could feel her excitement about actually seeing the palace. The way she sounded, I figured that she didn't get to do much traveling, with her wheelchair and all.

I went to inform Nanny. "I want everything to be perfect," I told her as I went through my closet for a dress to wear.

"Are you sure this is a good idea, Miss Elphaba?" Nanny asked, sounding very unsure.

"Of course. Why wouldn't it be?"

"It's just that… His Eminence wouldn't like to find out you hosted guests without his permission."

" _His Eminence_ won't find out," I said, glancing over my shoulder at the older woman. "I will swear the staff to secrecy. Besides, it's not like I'm hosting dignitaries."

"But your great-grandfather and your father don't really get along."

"That is why I won't put them in the same room together," I said with a sigh. "Really, Nanny, are you going to give every reason why I can't see my father and sister after Oz-knows how long?"

"No, Miss Elphaba," Nanny said, bowing her head.

I smiled softly and went back to my closet. I picked out a deep blue lace dress with a large ribbon in the back and placed it on my closet door for the next day.

Once I called the staff together and told them about what was going to happen, they all promised me to never speak of it again, especially in front of my great-grandfather. I thanked and dismissed them before taking a stroll through the gardens. As I walked, I noticed a young boy, not much younger than me, near the roses. I had never seen him before, so I decided to go talk to him.

He must have heard my footsteps against the stone path, because he looked up at me and gasped softly. "Your Excellency," he bowed.

"Hello," I nodded. "And who might you be?"

"I'm Deon, ma'am."

I must have still looked confused, because he elaborated.

"I'm Parolio's son."

Parolio was our gardener. I wasn't aware he had a son. "I've never seen you before."

"I just moved here."

"Oh," was all I could think to say, and turned back to the roses. "The roses look very nice."

"Thank you, ma'am."

"Do you know a lot about gardening?" In truth, I didn't know why I was trying to have a conversation with Deon. Maybe I was just really desperate for conversation at the moment. Maybe I wanted to practice my conversation skills before Nessarose arrived. Maybe I just wanted someone to talk to.

"I do."

I could tell that Deon was also clearly unsure about having a conversation with me, but I persisted. I continued asking questions and he answered them to the best of his ability. I found it to be the most relaxed conversation I ever had. I didn't have to worry about pleasing or entertaining anyone. He even made me laugh a bit.

"I have to go now, Deon," I said, seeing Nanny watching me from the doorway. "But… I enjoyed talking with you."

"I did as well, Your Excellency," Deon bowed.

I nodded and hurried back inside. "Yes, Nanny?"

"Nothing, Miss Elphaba," Nanny said, though I could tell she was clearly judging the fact that I, a future leader of a country, was laughing with the son of our gardener.

That night, I found it harder to go to sleep. I couldn't stop thinking about Nessarose and Father coming to visit. Everything had to be perfect.

The next morning, I woke up before Nanny came to get me, which rarely happened. I was never an early riser. My bed was very comfortable, and I relished spending as much time in it as possible.

Nanny didn't even bother to try and hide her surprise when she saw me come out of the bathroom, clad in my fluffy bathrobe and my wet hair wrapped in a towel.

"I drew my own bath this morning, Nanny," I said as I went back to my room, and she followed close behind.

"You didn't tell me you wanted to be awakened early," Nanny said as she closed my room door behind her.

"I didn't know how early I would wake up," I said, taking off my robe and slipping my undergarments on. Once I was in my slip, Nanny helped me with the dress.

"I want my hair out, Nanny," I said as Nanny brushed my hair.

"Of course, Miss Elphaba," she said, putting the brush down and running her fingers through my hair to smooth it out.

Once she was finished, I thanked her and went down to the foyer. I ate a small breakfast, but only at Nanny's insistence. I wasn't very hungry and it really didn't do anything to quell my nerves. My father and sister would arrive right before lunchtime, which gave me three and a half hours to kill.

Needless to say, I was bored. Bored and worried. I had a tour and a walk through the gardens planned, but surely that wouldn't take the whole afternoon. I wasn't sure how much she could do. If I gave a tour, how would she negotiate the stairs? Of course, I could only show her the ground floor. I never planned on showing her every single one of the hundreds of rooms.

Thankfully, I didn't have to wait as long as I expected, since they arrived forty-five minutes early.

"We could bring them to the drawing room if you are not ready to receive them, Miss Elphaba," Nanny said as she walked with me down the stairs.

"That won't be necessary, Nanny," I said when we reached the bottom and walked to the foyer. "I'm ready."

Nanny nodded and stood behind me as I waited for the doors to open. She seemed to sense my nerves and placed a gentle hand on my shoulder. It had been a while since I received a comforting touch from her and I turned to look at her.

"Everything will be fine," she whispered so only I would hear her.

My lips twitched and I smiled at her. "Thank you, Nanny."

She nodded and the doors opened.

"Announcing Master Frexspar Warwiken and Miss Nessarose Warwiken of Rush Margins."

I smiled as I saw a bald man with a slightly wrinkled face and brown robes pushing a young girl in a wheelchair. Nessarose looked a bit different than I remembered. Her brown hair was a bit darker, longer, and curlier. She wore a cream blouse and a dark pink skirt. Even though the skirt was long, I could still see the metal leg braces around her lower legs and ankles. I noticed her sparkly, jeweled shoes, but tried not to stare.

They stopped in front of me and my father let go of the wheelchair handles. I smiled slightly down at Nessarose and she looked up at me with adoring eyes. I looked back at my father and smiled brightly.

"Hello, Father." It felt so good to say those two words.

"Hello, Fabala," he smiled. And it felt even better to hear _those_ two words. I melted a bit at hearing my old nickname. It had been a while since I heard it and it made me feel like I belonged to a real family.

I bridged the small gap between us and gave him a hug. He hugged me back and I felt myself completely melt in his arms. I couldn't remember the last time someone hugged me, not even Nanny. I could hear the whispers of a few maids and servants who took a break from their work to watch me, but I ignored them. I wasn't going to let anything ruin this moment.

"I've missed you so much," I said as I gently pulled away.

"I've missed you, too. It's been so long."

"Too long." I turned to Nessarose and knelt in front of her chair. "And it's nice to see you again, Nessarose."

"You as well, Elphaba," my sister smiled and blushed as I gave her a light hug. "And thank you again for my birthday gifts."

"Of course. I'm glad you liked them." I rose to my feet. "How was your journey?"

"It was quick. Rush Margins is only a little more than two hours away," my father answered.

"I was very excited to come here," Nessarose spoke up. "The palace looks huge, especially from the outside."

"I can assure you that's it's even more huge on the inside," I smiled and she giggled. "And I love your shoes."

"Thank you," she said shyly. "They were a gift from Father."

I looked at Father and could see how devoted he was to Nessarose. He just wanted to give her the world… or at least as much of it as he could. It made me wonder if he would have been the same with me, but I pushed that thought aside. I already had Munchkinland. I don't know if I could handle the world.

"Would you like a tour?" I asked, trying to distract myself.

Nessarose nodded eagerly and Father stepped behind her chair. I led them through the long, vast halls of the first floor, stopping in the grand ballroom, the drawing room, the music room, my private classroom, and the door that led to the servants' quarters.

"How many rooms are there?" Nessarose asked in awe.

"Over seventy-five total, spanning the three floors. I haven't even explored them all yet."

Nessarose chuckled. Father asked me a few questions, which I did my best to answer. They were mostly about the history of the rooms, which didn't seem to interest Nessarose. She was more interested in how everything looked.

Once we were finished on the first floor, I asked if she wanted to see upstairs. "It's mostly bedrooms and other empty rooms, but still," I said.

Nessarose looked up at her father, who, in turn, looked at me. "If someone could help with her chair, I can carry her up the stairs."

I nodded and called two servants to help with the chair. I walked up the stairs first, followed by Father and Nessarose, and her chair.

We finished the tour with tea in the gardens. My sister commented on how much she loved the flowers, while Father quietly sipped his tea. We made small talk, which was Nessarose telling me about herself. It felt weird that I had to learn about my ten-year-old sister, but it was better than me boring her with my boring life of attending boring meetings and such.

She then asked me to talk about myself, and I saw Father look up at me. I tried not to sound too boring. I mentioned that I had meetings to attend, but I didn't dwell on them. I was sure that Nessarose wanted to hear more about the balls and parties.

I was right. As soon as I started talking about the parties, she instantly perked up and started asking question after question, from the food, music, clothing, lights, dancing, everything. She reminded me so much of Galinda. If the two ever met, I knew that Galinda would take an immediate liking to my younger sister.

I tried to sound like I was truly happy, that I was living the dream life. Nessarose bought it, because as far as she was concerned, my life was perfect. But when I looked at my father, I could tell that he saw right through my charade.

I managed to get my father and sister to agree to stay for dinner. The kitchen staff didn't look very pleased that I didn't give them much warning, but they were quick to hide it and prepared two more settings.

Dinner was lively. Nessarose seemed to have mastered the art of talking and eating while maintaining practically perfect table manners. Meanwhile, I was still getting used to the idea of hearing more than the silverware against plates.

"I had a wonderful time, Elphaba," Nessarose said after dessert as she and Father prepared to leave.

"I did, too, Nessarose. I'm glad we got a chance to spend some time together." For the first time, there wasn't a hint of forcedness or falseness. I really meant those words.

"I'm glad, too."

I hugged my father, gently leaning my head against his chest. "Have a safe journey back to Rush Margins, Father."

"Thank you, Fabala," he said, softly kissing my forehead. "I love you."

"I love you, too." I smiled as I walked out with them to their carriage. I really didn't want them to go. They were the closest family I had, and deep down, I didn't know when I would see them again.

"I promise we'll write more," I promised Nessarose as she got settled into the carriage.

"You won't be too busy?" she asked, slightly surprised.

"I'll never be too busy." I knew I shouldn't have said that. It wasn't good to make a promise I didn't know if I would be able to keep. But she looked so hopeful and happy that I couldn't retract my word. But establishing and maintaining a relationship with my sister would make me happy. And a happy Eminent would mean a happy Munchkinland. If anyone needed a diplomatic answer, that was it.

The carriage took off and I waved as it went out the gate and vanished from my sight. Even after it was gone, I stayed rooted to the spot. I was already beginning to miss them. I couldn't wait to become the Eminent and be able to see my family as much as I wanted.

* * *

 **Don't worry. This won't be the last time the two sisters see each other. And we get to meet our favorite prince in the next chapter!**


	5. I Meet My Match

I made sure everything was back to normal when Great-grandfather returned. I stressed again to the staff the importance of never speaking about Father or Nessarose, even in private. They all gave me their word that they wouldn't, and a small part of me was very proud of what I just got away with.

Great-grandfather came back Saturday evening, just before dinnertime. I was in the parlor, listening to a classical orchestra record on the victrola. I heard him come through the front door and looked up. He glanced at me, but didn't say anything as he went to his office.

Dinner was announced and I abandoned the music. I went into the dining hall and saw Great-grandfather already seated. I was tempted to ask him how the Emerald City was, but he looked like he didn't want to be disturbed. Instead, I simply took my seat and ate my dinner quietly.

"I have invited the Tigulaar boys to come and visit for a few days. You should know them better than you do," Great-grandfather said suddenly.

"Why?" I asked before I could stop myself.

"Because you should."

I nodded wordlessly and finished my mashed potatoes. While I didn't know the Tigulaar boys personally, I knew _of_ them. The boys were the princes of the Vinkus; Joachim and his younger brother, Fiyero. They had an elder sister, Cierrah, who was next in line for the throne. While I've met Cierrah a few times, I only met the boys once, many years ago. I'm sure they remembered me, even though I hardly remembered them. After all, how could you forget meeting a green girl?

I wondered why Great-grandfather had invited them. _Probably to help strengthen ties between the Vinkus and Munchkinland_ , I figured. There was always a diplomatic reason behind everything. But if that was the case, why didn't he also invite Cierrah?

"When will they arrive?" I asked.

"Monday morning. You will meet them once you finish your studies."

"Yes, sir," I said.

He nodded and ate the last of his meat before standing.

"No dessert, sir?" a maid asked, stepping forward to take his plate.

"No, thank you," he said, then noticed me standing up and making to follow him out. He looked like he was going to say something and I mentally braced myself to be chided. For a clock-tick, his face softened. I had never seen his face soften before. Growing up, I thought that all he could do was keep a neutral face or frown. I had never seen him smile. And he wasn't smiling now. His face was just… softer.

He didn't say anything as he walked out and I went up to my room, trying to push away the fact that _I_ had wanted dessert.

* * *

Even though my birthday was five weeks away, planning for my party had already begun. And I use the term 'party' very loosely. I knew I would probably spend my special evening surrounded by dignitaries all wanting to talk to me about trade agreements or import taxes of other official business. Fun birthday parties are only for people who don't have to think about running a country.

The planner my great-grandfather hired was running down the list of names of everyone invited to my party. "We have the Major General of Qhoyre in the Quadling Country, the Mayor of Ovvels in the Quadling Country, the Chief Justice of Gilbeeken in the Glikkus, the duke and grand duchess of the Gillikin, the royal family of the Vinkus, the…"

I stopped listening as he rattled off the titles of everyone who was on the guest list. I could count on one hand the number of invited guests that I actually knew. Sighing, I shook my head.

"Are you alright, Your Excellency?" the planner asked, noticing my movements.

"I want to invite my sister and father."

He blinked. "I will check with His Eminence."

"I don't know any of these people," I said imploringly. "I at least want my father and sister there."

The planner nodded and swiftly left to inform my great-grandfather of my request. I slumped in the chair, already knowing what the answer would be. As soon as the planner returned, I corrected my posture and waited for him to speak.

"His Eminence said that he would discuss it with you at a later time, but I will put them on the list just in case. What are their names?"

"My father is Frexspar Warwiken and my sister is Nessarose Warwiken of Rush Margins." I was surprised that he didn't outright say no, but I didn't question it further.

The planner nodded and jotted the names down. "Now then, the rest of the guest list will consist of Lord and Lady Meutchen of Lower Husuras, The Secretary of State from Junnibaan, the…"

I stopped listening yet again. More names of people I didn't know. I thought back to what Nessarose had told me about her birthday party. She said that even though it was small, she was still surrounded by her friends. Father had made the cake she wanted and she had fun. I found myself beginning to get a bit jealous, but I quickly tried to squash that feeling. Nessarose was probably jealous of me. I had wealth. I had power. I had stature. I had influence. I had everything she probably dreamed of having.

That night, I kept thinking about the Tigulaar boys. I wondered what they would be like. I wonder if they would be like me or know about the world outside of them studying to be rulers.

That night, I dreamt of Nessarose's birthday party. It was just her, Father, and me. We were laughing as Nessarose opened her presents, smiling and hugging each other. I smiled as we sat together on the sofa, and for the first time in my life, I felt like I was a part of a family.

"Miss Elphaba."

I slowly opened my eyes to Nanny smiling down at me. I forced a smile as I pushed myself up.

"Good morning. It's time to get up now."

"Good morning, Nanny," I said with a yawn and went with her to get ready.

When I came out of the bath, I saw that Nanny didn't lay my uniform out. "Your great-grandfather said that you shouldn't wear your uniform to meet the princes," she explained when she saw me eyeing the satin navy blue dress she had laid out for me instead of my usual clothes.

"I won't have time to change?" I asked as I took off my robe and slipped into my slip.

"They are due to arrive while you are still in your lessons."

I nodded and put on the dress. Nanny styled my hair into a braided bun and I was off to my lessons.

My tutor was teaching me more about my future responsibilities as Eminent Thropp, and I really did try to pay attention, but twenty minutes in, I heard a carriage approach. I knew immediately that it was the Vinkun princes. I really did try to continue to pay attention after that, but it was just so hard. Did they meet my great-grandfather yet? What were they doing? Were they tired from their journey? How long did it take them to get here? Did they stop in the Emerald City?

"Your Excellency, are you paying attention?"

"Hmm?" I blinked, looking up at my tutor.

He sighed. "Just… read the rest of the chapter for tomorrow."

I nodded as he dismissed me. As soon as I walked out the door, Nanny was waiting for me, as usual.

"I will take your books to your room, Miss Elphaba. Your great-grandfather is waiting for you in the drawing room with the princes."

"Thank you, Nanny," I said as I handed her my books and went to the drawing room. The door was closed, and I took a deep breath before knocking.

"Enter," I heard my great-grandfather call.

I opened the door and immediately fixed a polite smile on my face. My great-grandfather was sitting behind his desk, looking at a few papers.

"Elphaba, these are Princes Joachim and Fiyero of the Vinkus," he introduced the two young men sitting across from him.

The two princes stood and bowed. They looked very similar, almost like twins. They had identical dark blue eyes, chiseled noses, and very visible dimples when they smiled. They were both very handsome.

"Hello, Your Excellency," the prince in the dark green suit said.

"Your Excellency," the other one, dressed in a maroon suit, said.

Their Vinkun accents were thick and, dare I say it, exotic. Both of their voices, though deep, sounded light, as if dancing off a breeze. I blinked. And _that_ was a _very_ weird way to describe the voices of two dignitaries I just met.

"Hello, Your Highnesses," I curtsied, hoping my smile didn't look as forced as I felt it was. "Welcome to Munchkinland."

"Thank you, ma'am. I'm Joachim, and this is my younger brother, Fiyero," the green-suited prince said. "I hope we didn't interrupt your studies."

"Oh, not at all. How was your journey?"

"Long, but not too bad. We had plenty of books to keep us company."

"In fact," Fiyero spoke up suddenly. "I passed the time reading _Tylan's Treasure_."

I blinked at him.

"… By Yeshwan DiLurian," he finished sheepishly.

I paused, looking down slightly. "Yes," I said, not knowing what else I could have said. _Tylan's Treasure_ was my favorite novel, but it was very random that Prince Fiyero would know that.

I looked up and saw that Prince Joachim was fighting to keep his face neutral. Fiyero was biting his lip, like he was afraid of something. Was he afraid of me? I didn't recall doing something that would cause him to fear me. I didn't bite… much… and not unless provoked. I looked over at Great-grandfather, who looked like he was trying to hide how interested he was in this conversation.

"Would you like a tour of the palace?" I asked, wanting to leave the drawing room.

"Thank you, ma'am," Joachim agreed, and Fiyero nodded quietly.

As I led them out of the hallway and down the hall, I heard Joachim angrily mutter something to Fiyero in a language I didn't understand. It was probably Vinkun. Fiyero muttered something back and Joachim sighed. I pretended I didn't hear them as I began to explain the paintings on the hallway walls.

When I finished the tour of the palace, I asked if they would like to see the gardens. Joachim said that he was feeling a bit tired and wished to rest before dinner, but Fiyero took me up on my offer. I called a maid to show Joachim to his room as I led Fiyero outside.

As we walked, I asked Fiyero questions about what he liked, and I was surprised to see what we shared many of the same interests. Actually, we shared _too_ many interests, from our favorite colors and foods, to favorite types of pillowcases.

"I suppose of the classical composers, Rixian Ayiian is my favorite," Fiyero answered after I asked him who his favorite composer was.

"What a coincidence," I smiled sweetly, even though I had a feeling that it wasn't. "He's mine, too. Which of his ballets to do like most? Wait… let me guess, ' _Lyllian'_?"

Fiyero smiled. "As a matter of fact, yes."

I couldn't stop my smile from turning into a smirk. He was really trying to impress me. He was trying _so_ hard. "I used to like it, too. Now I prefer ' _Templiation'_."

His face fell slightly. I knew exactly what had happened. Someone had made him memorize all of my favorite things to try to impress me. I didn't know the reason, but I figured it was to get me to like him. Why was it so important that I like the youngest Vinkun royal? Well, two could play at that game.

We continued walking in silence. I didn't look at him. I wanted to, but I also didn't want to at the same time.

"Have I offended you in some way?" Fiyero asked, breaking the silence.

I stopped and thought for a moment. "No." I looked down and picked a flower, slowly plucking off its petals.

"And Flyiano."

I looked up at him.

"I also like the composer Darian Flyiano. I… I don't know if you like him… but I do."

A slow smile tugged its way onto my lips. "I don't mind Flyiano."

Fiyero nodded. "Good."

"Tell me about yourself." I meant for it to be a question, but now that I found a difference between us, I had to know the truth for the rest.

Fiyero seemed a bit embarrassed at being caught, but began to tell me his true interests. "I like horseback riding, hunting, and fishing. I can also play the piano and violin."

"I never took a liking to learning to play a musical instrument," I said, even though I was sure he already knew that.

"It becomes easier the more you do it."

I nodded and he continued to talk as we walked.

"What?" he asked when he saw my eyebrow go up.

"You like chess?" I asked with narrowed eyes.

"I do," Fiyero said, and I could tell that he was being sincere. "In fact, I always beat my sister, and she is very good. I'm the best chess player in the castle."

"You haven't played against me yet," I said. I was quite adept at chess.

"I suppose we'll have to fix that."

I chuckled softly. "What about your brother?"

"He prefers card games."

"Do you like card games?"

"I suppose so."

"I've never really played any card games," I admitted.

"I don't play very often."

After dinner (which was much livelier considering we had guests), Fiyero, Joachim, Great-grandfather, and I went into the parlor for after-dinner coffee. I set up a chessboard and Fiyero and I sat down to play.

"Do you ever feel like a chess piece yourself?" I whispered, taking my black knight and taking one of Fiyero's white pawns.

"Do you?" Fiyero asked as he moved his queen.

"All the time." I looked over at great-grandfather, who was reading a newspaper. Joachim was reading a book, occasionally glancing up and Fiyero and me. "I feel like I'm a pawn, constantly being moved around the board."

"Who?"

"Mostly Great-grandfather." I was very careful to keep my voice down. "His advisors. As well as all of the other Ozian countries… and the Wizard."

"The Wizard?"

"People think that I don't know what they're thinking. They think that I'm too young to rule a country, even though I'll be of-age in a few weeks. I have no doubt they'll take advantage of that."

I could tell Fiyero was thinking about his next move. I was winning and I wasn't giving him many options to escape.

"There's talk of a regency, even if I ascend after I turn seventeen. My great-grandfather's advisors want me to wait until I turn twenty-five. They think I'm ill-prepared. And the fact that I'm a girl doesn't seem to be helping the fact."

"Do you feel ill-prepared?"

"I've been preparing since I was three. It wouldn't make sense for me to be ill-prepared."

"Who would rule in your stead… if there was a regency?"

"Probably one of the advisors." In truth, I didn't know why I was telling Fiyero all of this, or if I was even _supposed_ to be telling him all this. But I found him very easy to talk to. There weren't many people I could just speak freely to.

Fiyero looked over at his brother, who looked like he was trying not to pay attention to us. "Is there anything you plan on doing about that?"

I moved my king. "I just have to master the game so I can play it better than the people who think they can play me."

Fiyero looked at the board, then smirked as he moved his rook. "Checkmate."

I looked down in surprise. How did I not see that trap? He had managed to put me in checkmate with only his queen, king, rook, and bishop. I looked up at him, quite impressed. "You are very good at chess, Prince Fiyero."

"I try, Your Excellency," Fiyero nodded.

I got an idea. "Why don't we put on some music and dance? I've recently mastered the waltz and am quite fond of it."

Fiyero looked nervous and I saw Joachim glance up at both of us, no longer trying to hide behind his book.

"Dancing… isn't really my forte," he said, looking down at his lap.

"Oh. Pity. It would have been fun."

"Yes," Fiyero said as we looked at each other for a moment.

For some reason, I wanted to hold his hand. But out of the corner of my eye, I saw Great-grandfather watching us. I didn't know what he thought we were saying, and I didn't know if he approved of it or not. So instead, I began to set up the board for another game, and Fiyero didn't protest.


	6. I Hope You Dance

I found myself really enjoying the princes' company. Especially Fiyero's. Don't get me wrong; Joachim was very nice and I really enjoyed spending time, but there was something really attracting me to Fiyero. I don't know whether it was his handsome nature, his charming personality, or that lopsided grin he would give me. I don't know why, but it made my stomach do summersaults. Whatever the case was, I found myself enjoying spending time with him.

The day before Fiyero and Joachim would leave, I was walking past the grand hall when I heard music coming from inside. I peaked my head in and saw Fiyero sitting at the piano. I remember him telling me that he could play, but he didn't tell me how good he was. And he was _very_ good.

I quietly approached him, not wanting to disrupt the song. But he noticed me anyway and abruptly stopped.

"Please don't stop," I said. "I want to hear the rest of the song."

"You do?" he asked.

"Of course."

Fiyero nodded and began to play again, but he was clearly more nervous.

"Would it help if I didn't look at you?"

He stopped and looked up at me. I couldn't tell what he was thinking, but he was clearly thinking about _something_.

"I could turn my back. And you could pretend that I'm not even here."

Fiyero smiled a bit and went back to playing. I recognized the tune and started humming along, which I think helped him, because he visibly relaxed and began to play more freely.

"Would you… teach me to play?" I asked once he finished.

"Of course," he said as he slid over on the bench to make more room for me.

He taught me a few basic scales and how to position my hands. I must admit, if I had learned like this when I was younger, I would have been a piano expert by then.

"You put your left hand like this," he said as he gently took my hand and made to place it on the keys.

I looked over at him. This was the first contact we had made since he arrived. His hands were strong, yet soft and gentle. I looked down at our joint hands, and he did the same. I wonder if he felt the same light spark I had just felt.

He awkwardly cleared his throat and placed my hands on the keys and explained to me what to do. I followed his instructions and soon, I was playing a simple melody. It was pretty and I didn't make many mistakes, but I still wanted to hear him play.

"Play something else, please," I said as I stood up and leaned my arms against the piano.

He played a song that could pass as a waltz. I wish dancing was his forte. I heard footsteps from behind and tensed a bit, thinking that it was Great-grandfather, but it was the elder prince. "How good are you at the waltz, Prince Joachim?" I asked as I relaxed and approached him.

"Very good. Why – whoa!" he exclaimed as I took his arm and pulled him to the dance floor.

I couldn't help but smirk as I gently coerced the prince to dance with me. I didn't know if this was considered completely proper, but I wanted to have a little fun. We positioned ourselves and began to dance.

I closed my eyes as we spun around the floor. For the first time ever, I felt completely free, and it felt amazing. I felt Joachim relax and soon, he was enjoying the dance just as much as I was. As we danced, I noticed Fiyero beginning to look sad, and maybe a bit jealous, as he saw me dancing with his brother. I knew he wanted to dance with me, and I wanted to dance with him, too, but _he's_ the one who said that dancing wasn't his strongest suit. Besides, he was a very good musician.

Fiyero ended the song and I curtsied to Joachim. "Thank you for the dance, Prince Joachim."

"My pleasure, Your Excellency," he said as he bowed. He glanced at his brother briefly before leaving.

I turned back to Fiyero and was about to ask him to play some more, but then he stood and cleared his throat. "Excuse me, Your Excellency." He bowed and swiftly walked out of the ballroom. I looked from him to the piano before I sat down on the bench. I played the melody he taught me a few times before I heard footsteps. Thinking that it was Fiyero, I looked up with a smile, but it instantly faded when I saw that it was Great-grandfather. I immediately stood and curtsied. How long had be been standing there? He was looking at me with a blank expression, and I didn't like it. What was he thinking?

I was about to say something when he suddenly turned and left the ballroom. I heard him begin to cough as soon as he left, but I didn't think anything of it. Little did I know, that was the beginning of my entire life changing.

* * *

The princes left the next day after breakfast. I noticed Great-grandfather looking a bit pale, but other than that, he seemed fine. He didn't eat very much, but I thought that was because he didn't get enough rest the night before, or was very stressed about something.

"I would be lying if I told you that I wouldn't miss you," I whispered to Fiyero as we walked them to their carriage.

"And I would be lying if I told you that I didn't have an enjoyable time here in Munchkinland," Fiyero whispered back, and I blushed.

If Great-grandfather noticed my blush, he didn't say anything, which I was grateful for. I didn't even know the feelings I had towards the younger prince yet. The last thing I wanted to do was try to explain them to someone else.

"May I write to you?" Fiyero asked as his brother climbed into the carriage.

I smiled. "Of course." I was already writing to Nessarose more, and I had no objecting to adding Fiyero to my list of personal, regular correspondents.

"Good." He nodded to me. "Goodbye, Your Excellency."

"Have a safe journey, Your Highnesses," I said with a curtsy and watched the carriage go. Instead of waiting outside like I did with Nessarose and Father, I immediately went back inside, humming the melody Fiyero had taught me.

"You took a liking to the younger prince?"

I turned at the voice. "I… enjoyed his visit."

Great-grandfather looked at me. He looked like he was really studying me and I cannot say I felt comfortable under his gaze. I subconsciously licked my lips, wishing that he would either say something or stop looking at me. His gaze on me was only broken when he suffered a bout of coughs. I watched as he doubled over, one hand on his chest, and the other covering his mouth. I stepped towards him, but he waved me away. Soon, a maid came with a glass of water, but she was waved away, too. When he straightened, he didn't even look at me as he walked away.

I hurried up to my room pulled out my letter to Nessarose from my desk. So far, I only had three sentences, and wanted to write more. Should I tell her about the princes? She told me about a boy named Boq that she was developing a crush on. I don't think I had a crush on Fiyero. I only just met him. While I did enjoy being around him, I hardly thought that counted as a crush.

 _The princes of the Vinkus just left from their visit here,_ I wrote. _Princes Joachim and Fiyero. They are both very handsome and very nice. From what I gathered, Joachim is more like me; very studious and lives inside his head. But Fiyero… I think he's sort of my opposite. He seems like he's very fun-oriented. He hasn't had a lot of responsibilities, being the youngest heir and all, but I think he knows when to be serious. At first, he was trying so hard to impress me that I saw right through his façade. But when he started to be more honest with me, I feel there was more to him than what meets the eye._

 _I think my great-grandfather might be coming down with a cold, so I'll have to take on more duties until he recovers. Even though my letters might become few and far between, please know that I haven't forgotten my promise to you. I hope to see you and Father again soon._

 _Your sister,_

 _Elphaba_

I didn't see great-grandfather at lunch or dinner that day. A maid told me that he was resting.

"Will he be alright?" I asked her as my dinner plate was cleared.

"I would imagine so, ma'am. The doctor says he just needs a bit of rest."

I nodded and stood, going back to my room. It was raining that evening, so I simply sat on my window seat, tracing patterns on the window.

"Miss Elphaba?" Nanny called as she knocked on my door.

"Come in, Nanny."

The door opened and I heard Nanny's footsteps, but didn't turn around. "It's time for bed now."

I looked at her reflection in the window. "But it's still early."

"The planner will be here early tomorrow morning to continue discussing your birthday party."

I wasn't happy about going to bed early, but nodded regardless and allowed Nanny to assist me. Once I was in bed, I didn't go to sleep for a while. I had so much on my mind, from Fiyero, to Nessarose, to Great-grandfather, that my mind didn't seem to want to shut off.

The next morning, I woke up just as the sun was rising. I usually slept through the sunrise, so I would always miss it. I slid out of bed and opened the curtains more so I could get a better view.

"Enter!" I called, knowing it was Nanny.

The older woman came in, and I could tell she was surprised to see me awake.

"I never knew how beautiful a sunrise is, Nanny," I said, looking out as the sun's rays painted many colors across the sky.

"It is very beautiful, Miss Elphaba," Nanny agreed.

"How is Great-grandfather?"

"He is still in bed, Miss. He was complaining of a sore back earlier this morning."

I nodded. The doctor would probably stop by later today to check up on him. Meanwhile, I had a busy day of my own. It was Saturday, which meant that no lessons would mean more party planning.

I told the party planner that Great-grandfather had approved Nessarose and Father coming to my party, which wasn't a complete lie. I mean, he didn't explicitly say no. And the fact that it didn't must have meant he approved. Regardless, the planner believed me, because who was he to argue with me? And would Great-grandfather really deny me the only two people I actually wanted with me on my birthday?

 _Knowing him, yes_ , I thought to myself, and inwardly sighed.

After finishing with the guest list, we discussed the menu (which included foods that, when looking at the paper, I couldn't even pronounce, but most of it would probably be made of corn, anyway), decorations (which would mostly consist of blue and gold, the Munchkinland colors), music (live and classical), as well as the traditional coming-of-age rituals.

In Munchkinland, when a child turned seventeen, they were officially considered an adult. At least… _technically_ , in terms of the law. Mentally was a different story and varied between individuals. For me, that meant attending a special mass all morning, then using the afternoon to prepare for the evening ball. I personally didn't care much for Chapel. I didn't consider myself very religious, but I tried not to let it show. Great-grandfather, and probably all of Munchkinland, would have had a conniption. The main religion of Munchkinland was Unionism, so I only went to Chapel with Great-grandfather to maintain the image of the "religious" Thropps.

Regardless, I knew it was going to be a very long day for me. There was no doubt in my mind that Nanny would have me in bed before eight o'clock the night before.

Once we were finished, the planner told me that he would be back the week before my birthday to go over the final details with Great-grandfather and me. I thanked him and he showed himself out. I amused myself by going on a walk through the gardens and had a quick conversation with Deon. I don't think he ever got used to the fact that I actually wanted to have conversations with him. I didn't think it should surprise people that I was also a human being, just like them, and craved human conversation just as much as the next person.

That evening, I was reading a novel in the library. This time, it was a novel called _'The Facts of Life'_ by Kikan Micca. It was about a young girl named Rocca, who was orphaned and grew up with her nasty aunt and two cousins. She was then sent away to a boarding school, where she was faced with even more challenges, such as a rude headmaster, and her best friend dying of an infection. When she grew up, she began teaching at that same school, until she got a better job as the governess of a young heiress. She meets her employer, the heiress' father, Sir Hohn Dimani, and despite their rough first-encounter, they fall in love. They almost get married, but then Rocca finds out a dark secret about Hohn and she runs away. But by the end of the book, they get married and have a son.

Galinda had recommended this book to me, and after reading it, I could see why. She was always a lover of romance novels, but I found this one a bit farfetched. Was it possible for an employee to fall in love with their employer, or vise versa? That would be like if Deon fell in love with me, or I fell in love with him. It was a very weird concept to me. The way I grew up, I never saw love as a real part of life, since my childhood was pretty loveless.

As I went to sleep that night, my brain decided to add _'The Facts of Life'_ to the list of things it wanted me to think about instead of actually going to sleep on time.

* * *

 **Virtual cupcakes to anyone who can guess which novel** ** _'The Facts of Life'_** **is based off of.**


	7. I Come of Age

**Congrats to MotherOfDragons7, who guessed correctly.** ** _'The Facts of Life'_** **is based off of** ** _'Jane Eyre'_** **by Charlotte Brontë.**

 **18lzytwner: A bumpy road is indeed approaching.**

* * *

 _The Official Eminence Estate at Colwen Grounds_

 _His Eminence, Peerless Thropp of Munchkinland, hereby requests your attendance at the seventeenth birthday ball of his great-granddaughter, Her Excellency Elphaba Melena Thropp, on the twenty-second of May this year, starting at six o'clock in the evening._

 _A reply is requested at least one week prior to the event. Please note that this is a formal attire event._

 _Please keep the lower half of this invitation. Any persons without an invitation will not be permitted inside the palace the evening of the event._

 _Signed,_

 _His Eminence, Peerless Thropp_

 _Her Excellency, Elphaba Melena Thropp_

…

 _Dear Prince Fiyero,_

 _I'm sure you have received the official invitation to my birthday party in the mail. My hand hurts from having to sign over one hundred invitations, so I apologize if my handwriting appears a bit squiggly. Great-grandfather has a stamp with his signature, but I am not fortunate enough to have that luxury._

 _His health has been slowly deteriorating over these past few days. He clearly is under the weather, but he refuses to rest unless he simply can't work any longer. I have done my best to try not to aggravate him, but he gets aggravated no matter what I do._

 _I fear that this might be close to the end, but I will remain optimistic. I never really had that characteristic before, but I think 'hopeful' might be a better word._

 _Anyway, despite all of the official-ness of this, I really do hope you and your family can attend my party. It would be wonderful to see you again._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Her Excellency, Elphaba Melena_

…

 _Your Excellency,_

 _This letter has gone through many rough-drafts, so hopefully this will be a good final draft._

 _I have indeed received your invitation and my whole family has accepted. I am looking forward to seeing you again._

 _I do hope your great-grandfather will get well soon. Especially since your birthday is coming up. I understand that this is your coming-of-age birthday. Let me be the first to offer my congratulations, even though it is still considered a bit early. This must be very exciting for you._

 _And do not worry. Even though I've only met your great-grandfather briefly, I've learned that he is very strong and will pull through._

 _I look forward to seeing you again in a few weeks._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Prince Fiyero_

…

 _Dearest Nessarose,_

 _I have received all of your letters, and I apologize for not answering them. Planning for my birthday has become more serious and time-consuming. Great-grandfather, even in his illness, has been watching me like a hawk. It's… complicated._

 _I hope you've received the invitations to my party and I hope you are able to attend._

 _I'm glad to hear that you and Father are doing well. And I am happy that you got very high marks on your tests._

 _I apologize that this letter is so short, but I must get back to work. I hope to see you soon._

 _All my love,_

 _Elphaba_

…  
 _Dear Elphaba,_

 _Please know that I completely understand how busy you are. I am not upset or offended if I don't get a letter back from you. I just hope I'm not annoying you._

 _Thank you for your congratulations. I studied very hard for those tests. Your recognition means the world to me._

 _Father and I have received your invitation and have sent back our acceptance. I'm very excited. I've never been to a party of this grandeur before. Father said he would take me dress shopping just for the occasion._

 _I hope your great-grandfather feels better soon. All of Munchkinland (or at least my village) is aware of His Eminence's illness, but we have the absolute confidence that he will be fine._

 _I hope you are well and I can't wait to see you again._

 _Your sister,_

 _Nessarose_

* * *

On my birthday, I woke up early. I stared at the ceiling for a few breaths before pushing myself up. So this was it. I went to bed a child, and now I'm an adult. I must admit, I didn't feel any different. I still felt a bit sleepy, so I laid back down. I closed my eyes, but allowed my brain to wander.

It was going to be a busy day. From the mass, to preparing for the ball, to the actual ball, I knew I wouldn't have time to rest. I knew Nanny would come any moment to wake me up, and I pondered actually getting up and getting an early start on preparing myself. I decided against it, since I wouldn't see my bed until probably the following morning, depending on how long the ball lasted.

Around fifteen minutes later, Nanny knocked on my door. "Come in."

"Happy birthday, Miss Elphaba," the older woman said as she came in.

"Thank you, Nanny," I smiled. She seemed happier than I was.

"Are you excited for today?"

"I suppose. I'm going to be busy from the moment I get out of bed until tomorrow."

Nanny smiled sympathetically. "You will have so much fun today."

"Goody." I didn't mean for that to come out as a deadpan, but it did. Nanny and I went through our usual morning routine. When I came out of the bath, I saw that she laid out a cream, silk blouse and a navy skirt and matching blazer, along with my Colwen Grounds sash. It looked like a modified version of my uniform and I bit back a sigh. Nanny helped me with my tan stockings and into my clothes. She then brushed my hair and pulled it back into a braid. Braiding it now would make it more manageable to do for the ball, so I didn't protest.

"Your Excellency," a maid called as she curtsied in my open doorway. "Your great-grandfather is waiting to go to the chapel for mass."

"Thank you," I nodded and stood. I thanked Nanny and hurried down the stairs as gracefully as I could.

Great-grandfather looked a bit better, but it was obvious he wasn't fully recovered yet. I curtsied to him and he nodded at me before turning to leave. He didn't wish me a happy birthday, and honestly, I wasn't expecting him to. But a small part of me had hoped that he would.

The carriage ride to the Cateline Chapel was quick. As I looked out the window, I saw people lining the streets, cheering and waving to the carriage. I smiled and waved back, causing the crowd to even cheer more. Great-grandfather didn't wave or smile.

Once we got to the chapel, Great-grandfather got out first, and I followed him. I didn't know who would be attending the mass, but I knew that I wouldn't know them.

As it turned out, I was correct. Great-grandfather had invited minor dignitaries from all over Munchkinland to the mass, since they weren't invited to the ball. I smiled politely at them as we walked in, watching as they either bowed or curtsied.

I tried my best to not fall asleep during the mass, but I honestly wasn't paying attention. The day had barely begun and I was already exhausted. Thankfully, I heard the part where the priest asked me to approach the altar and I did.

He said a prayer in Munchkin and blessed me. "May the Unnamed God watch over, guide, and protect Elphaba Melena Thropp as she journeys from adolescence to adulthood. May He help her in the challenges she will face and help her make wise, sound decisions. Amen."

"Amen," everyone repeated and I went back to my seat.

After the closing song and benediction, everyone quickly exited the chapel. As soon as I came out, people started cheering and waving. I waved again, trying to look happy that it was my birthday.

Great-grandfather gave me a look that said 'hurry up', and I quickly followed him back to the carriage. Once we returned to Colwen Grounds, we ate a small lunch and I was whisked away to prepare for that evening.

By preparing, it meant getting a facial, manicure, and pedicure, which I admit, were rather enjoyable. But at that moment, I would have been fine with a nap. Once that was done, half of my hair was pulled into an elegant bun, while the other half was curled into long locks down my back. Once a sparkly headband was placed in my hair, it was declared complete.

My party dress was a dark gold tulle gown with off-the-shoulder sleeves that stopped at my elbow. The skirt of the gown was long and brushed lightly against the floor, with a large bow in the back. As I slipped into the dress, I couldn't help but feel like a princess. Albeit a green-skinned princess, but a princess nonetheless.

When it came time to do my makeup, I only requested a light blush and a bit of lip-gloss. I was never very big on makeup, but I knew I would have to wear something for the event.

By the time I was finished, it was five-fifteen. The guests would start arriving soon, so I decided to stay in my room and get some last moments of peace and quiet. I heard the sounds of horses and carriages approaching and knew it was time to go down to the ballroom. I opened my door just as Nanny was about to knock.

"Miss Elphaba, the guests are beginning to arrive," she said with a curtsy.

"Thank you, Nanny," I nodded as I slipped on my white, satin gloves. I looked at my reflection in my full-length mirror one last time before going down the stairs. I went into the ballroom and stood to Great-grandfather's right to greet the guests. They would come in and greet him first, as the protocol called for, then greet me.

"Shall we open the doors now, sir?" a servant asked.

Great-grandfather nodded and the doors were opened. I immediately felt my heart rate speed up as people were announced as they entered the ballroom.

"The Margreave of Tenmeadows, Lord Yutto Tenmeadows, and his son, Master Avaric Tenmeadows."

The Margreave and his son entered together and bowed to my great-grandfather. Avaric was very handsome. He was a bit older than me, but only by three years. He was nice, but had the tendency to be self-centered.

"Happy birthday, Your Excellency," he said with a bow.

"Thank you, Master Avaric. Please enjoy the party," I said formally.

He smiled at me and walked inside with his father. More people were announced and came in. I made small talk with a few of them, not wanting to seem rude, but also not wanting to talk to people I didn't know.

"The Grand Duke of the Gillikin, Lord Highmuster Upland, and the Grand Duchess, Lady Galinda Upland."

I smiled when they entered. Galinda's ball gown was a light pink satin dress with short sleeves and a long skirt. The bodice of her dress was studded with gems that gleamed in the light.

"Happy birthday, Elphie," she whispered in my ear after greeting me properly.

"Thank you, Galinda," I whispered back.

She smiled at me and went to enjoy the ball. I sighed and discreetly worked my jaw. My face was beginning to feel sore from all the smiling I had been doing.

"Master Frexspar Warwiken and Miss Nessarose Warwiken of Rush Margins."

I suddenly felt the soreness vanish as my father and sister came in. I felt Great-grandfather stiffen next to me, but I ignored him.

"Your Eminence," Father bowed to Great-grandfather, and Nessarose bowed her head.

Great-grandfather frowned, clearly not liking the fact that my father was there. He didn't even look at Nessarose, which I didn't know how to take.

"Hello, Father," I smiled, stepping forward slightly.

My father smiled at me and bowed. "Your Excellency."

I looked down at Nessarose and smiled. She sat tall in her chair, clearly nervous and self-conscious. "Hello, Nessarose."

"Your Excellency," Nessarose bowed her head. She looked up at my great-grandfather. "Your Eminence."

Great-grandfather glared down at her and she bit her lip, looking down at her lap. She was clearly terrified.

"You looked very beautiful," I said as I knelt down in front of her. Great-grandfather made a noise in the back of his throat, but I ignored him.

My sister's hair was in soft curls flowing off her shoulders with a sparkly, pink headband. Her dress was a light pink dress with short sleeves and a skirt that fanned out over her legs. She wasn't wearing her leg braces, but she was wearing her jeweled shoes.

"Thank you," she blushed. "And happy birthday."

"Thank you," I said as I stood up and nodded to my father, who began to push Nessarose into the ballroom.

"What are they doing here?" Great-grandfather hissed in my ear.

"I invited them," I whispered back.

"When did I give you permission?"

"You never said I couldn't."

"Elphaba –"

"Please. It's my birthday."

I didn't know what _that_ would do, but I had to give it a try. Thankfully, it got the response I wanted. Great-grandfather couldn't scowl at me for as long as he wished because more people were being announced.

"Their Royal Majesties, King Raal and Queen Amalie Tigulaar of the Vinkus."

When the monarchs came in, Great-grandfather and I bowed and curtsied, respectively.

"Your Majesties," Great-grandfather said as he straightened. "Welcome to Munchkinland."

"Thank you, Your Eminence," the king said, then turned to me. "And happy birthday, Your Excellency."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," I said, then greeted the queen.

"Her Royal Highness, Crown Princess Cierrah Thaliana Tigulaar of the Vinkus."

I looked up as the princess entered. She greeted both of us, then went with her parents.

"Their Royal Highnesses, Prince Joachim and Prince Fiyero Tigulaar of the Vinkus."

Joachim and Fiyero came in and I smiled. I had missed the princes. Especially Fiyero.

"Your Eminence. Your Excellency," Joachim bowed, and I curtsied.

"Hello, Prince Joachim."

"Happy birthday."

"Thank you." I looked over at Fiyero and smiled. "Hello, Prince Fiyero."

"Your Excellency," Fiyero bowed. "Happy birthday."

"Thank you."

Fiyero smiled at me and I felt my face getting hotter. I hoped I wasn't blushing too deeply. But Fiyero simply nodded to me and went to join his family.

Once everyone was announced, I was allowed to abandon my post at the door and mingle with everyone. And by mingle, I mean that almost all the dignitaries were fighting for my attention to discuss politics or taxes or something official. Even though I knew it was coming, I wasn't prepared for every dignitary to ask me a political question.

"Dearest, really. I'm sure she just wants to enjoy her birthday," the wife of the mayor of Ovvels said when her husband asked me the fifth question about corn exports.

"This is a very important matter," the mayor protested.

"And you can schedule a meeting at a later date."

The mayor looked at me. "When are you available, Your Excellency?"

I wanted to say 'a week from never', but I held my tongue. "I will check my schedule and get back to you, Mayor. Excuse me." I curtsied politely and swiftly walked away.

I looked around and saw everyone whispering behind their hands and staring at something. I turned and realized that they were starring at Nessarose. It didn't take rocket science to figure out why. Being the only one in a wheelchair and without a title at a social gathering of this magnitude wasn't the most ideal combination. And judging by the look on her face, she was well aware of it.

"Are you having fun, Nessarose?" I asked as I approached her and Father.

"Yes," she nodded as she looked into her glass of punch.

I looked up at Father, silently asking if there was anything I could do, but he shook his head. I motioned for a servant to bring a chair over and I sat down next to my sister. "I suppose this is very different from any other party you've been to."

She seemed surprised that I was actually sitting next to her instead of mingling with the guests, but the smile I gave her seemed to calm her down. "I've never been to any kind of party like this before. It's so… fancy and elegant."

I remembered that she was only ten and that the fanciest party she's probably ever been to before this were little, pretend tea parties. I also realized that there was no one there her age, and I'm sure she didn't want to listen to a bunch of boring, adult-talk.

We made small talk for a while. I asked Father if he wanted to sit, but he declined. As we spoke, I saw Nessarose begin to relax. People continued to stare and whisper, but I ignored them. I knew that I wouldn't be able to sit and talk to Nessarose for the rest of the night, but I wanted to make sure she was comfortable.

I heard footsteps approach and I looked up to see Fiyero.

"Your Excellency," he bowed and I nodded. "Would you… like to join me for a dance?"

I smiled. "I thought dancing wasn't your forte."

"I've been practicing."

I nodded and stood. "Oh, Prince Fiyero, allow me to introduce my father and sister, Frexspar and Nessarose Warwiken. Father, Nessarose, this is Prince Fiyero of the Vinkus."

"Your Highness," Father bowed and Nessarose nodded respectfully.

"Sir, Miss Nessarose," Fiyero nodded, then offered me his arm. I took it and allowed him to lead me to the dance floor.

"You've become quite the dancer, Your Highness," I said as he twirled me around.

"Well, the last time I saw you, I didn't get a chance to dance with you. I figured that I wouldn't miss my chance a second time."

"How good of you," I said, this time not even bothering to hide my blush. I was aware of the many eyes on me, but I ignored them.

Once the dance ended, he bowed and I curtsied before grabbing a drink from a passing servant. I saw Galinda and went over to talk to her. Avaric asked me to dance with him, but I feigned my feet being tired and promised him the next one.

"Your feet aren't tired," Galinda whispered, calling my bluff.

"I know, but I really don't want to dance with Avaric. My poor toes don't deserve that. At least this gives him time to find another dance partner that he'd rather dance with."

"You're the birthday girl. Of course he's still going to want to dance with you, no matter who he finds."

"Right, it's my birthday. Based on the number of officials here, I never would have guessed."

The blonde duchess gave me a sympathetic smile. "Elphie, look," she whispered, pointing to where my sister was.

I looked over and saw Prince Fiyero sitting in the seat I had occupied, talking to my sister. And from the look of it, they were having a very enjoyable conversation.

"Isn't that your sister?" Galinda asked. "Or… half-sister, I suppose?"

I nodded.

"She's very pretty. I must meet her."

As I looked on, I saw Prince Fiyero stand up and bow to Nessarose, who pinched the ends of her skirt and bowed her head (her version of a curtsy). Father had stepped behind the wheelchair as Fiyero gently took her hands in his. Father gently pushed her back and forth as Nessarose and Fiyero moved their arms the way everyone else was. I was aware of half the ballroom watching them. I suppose the prince of the Vinkus dancing with the young wheelchair-bound girl was going to cause quite a stir, but it was clear that the two didn't care.

"That's very sweet of the prince," the blonde said.

"Yes," I smiled.

"How old is your sister?"

"She's ten."

Once the dance was over, Fiyero kissed the back of Nessarose's hand, which made her beam. Based on Father's expression, I gathered that he had never seen her smile like that before. The prince bowed and walked back to his parents. As he walked, he looked up at me and smiled softly.

'Thank you.' I mouthed.

'You're welcome.' he mouthed back.


	8. I Rise To Power Part 1

**I just came back from BroadwayCon! I had the most amazing weekend with fellow Broadway fans and I got to meet some of my favorite stars!**

* * *

 _The Official Eminence Estate at Colwen Grounds_

 _May 29_ _th_

 _It is with deep sadness that we announce to the people of Munchkinland and of Oz the sudden passing of our esteemed Eminent, Peerless Thropp, at two forty-seven this morning. He passed shortly after arriving at St. Aelphaba Hospital, complaining of chest pain. He was eighty-three years of age. We mourn deeply the passing of our leader and hope the Unnamed God grants him eternal rest._

 _Condolences may be sent to the official Colwen Grounds estate of His Eminence. Funeral arrangements are still in progress, as well as the subsequent instatement of Her Excellency, Elphaba Melena, as the next Eminent Thropp._

 _During this time, the family requests privacy as they mourn the loss._

I read and reread the statement over and over again. It was only nine in the morning, but it felt like a whole day had gone by. I remember Nanny waking me up at three in the morning. She told me that I had to come downstairs immediately and practically guided me down to Great-grandfather's office. There, two officials stood in front of his desk, looking somber.

"What's going on?" I had asked, still very sleepy.

The two officials had looked at each other before bowing. "Long live, Your Eminence."

It had taken a while for what they said to sink in. I remember standing there, still as a statue. I couldn't believe this was happening. I had only turned seventeen a week ago, and now I'm being thrust into the position I had been preparing for since before I could even read. I faintly remember fleeing the office, pushing past Nanny as I hurried back to my room.

I didn't go back to sleep. I went back to bed, but my eyes refused to close. Finally, at around nine o'clock, I decided to get up. I slipped out of bed and slid my feet into my slippers. I was still in my nightgown and had no intention of getting dressed anytime soon, unless I had to.

Someone knocked on the door, but I ignored it. It opened anyway, revealing Nanny.

"Oh. Excuse me, Mi- Your Eminence," Nanny said with a curtsy. "I thought you would still be asleep."

"How could I sleep after what I just found out?" I snapped.

"Of course," she said softly after a short pause. "Forgive me."

I sighed. "No, I'm sorry, Nanny. I shouldn't have snapped at you."

"It's alright."

"No, it's not." I looked out the window. It was a cloudy day. It wasn't rainy-cloudy, but the sun wasn't shinning.

"Would you like some breakfast?"

I was hungry, but I didn't think I would be able to stomach anything at the moment. "I'll just have some orange juice and a muffin. And could you have it sent up here, please?"

"Of course, Your Eminence," Nanny curtsied and turned to go.

"You used to call me 'mon ange'."

She turned, clearly not expecting that. "I'm sorry?"

"You used to call me your angel." In truth, I don't know why I was saying that, _now_ of all times.

Nanny also clearly didn't know why I was saying that, and didn't know how to respond.

"You don't anymore," I continued.

Nanny was still searching for words, but my tears came faster than she could think of them.

"You don't call me 'your angel' anymore," I whispered as the tears rolled down my face.

She closed the door and quickly collected me into her arms.

"Am I no longer your angel?"

"Of course you are," Nanny whispered comfortingly. "And you'll always be mon ange."

I clung to her, desperate for human contact and comfort. Nanny led me back to my bed and sat down next to me.

"I'm not ready," I whispered against her shoulder.

"Yes, you are," she said, gently pulling away to look at me. "You're smart, confident, and brave, everything needed in a good leader."

I relaxed in Nanny's embrace. I didn't want her to let go, and was very adamant about holding on when she tried to pull away. Eventually, she understood that I didn't want her to let me go, and gently hugged me closer.

"Mon ange," she whispered, and I closed my eyes against the tears threatening to spill.

* * *

I didn't open any of the condolence letters. Especially the ones that looked official from dignitaries. That's why I was surprised to find non-official letters from Fiyero and Galinda, and one from Nessarose.

 _Your Excellency,_

 _I had a feeling you wouldn't open any official letters, so I decided to be a bit non-official. I hope that's okay._

 _Please accept my condolences on your great-grandfather's passing. I have never experienced a loss of someone close to me, so I unfortunately cannot empathize with you. But I do sympathize with you._

 _Even though I hope to hear from you soon, I understand that you will be very busy._

 _Yours,_

 _Prince Fiyero_

Galinda and Nessarose's letters pretty much said the same thing. I sighed as I gently tossed them aside. I wanted to respond, but I was too tired and had too much on my mind to think about formulating a letter.

I looked at my calendar. Had it really been three days since my great-grandfather passed? And was it really the day before his funeral? And was it really four days until I officially became Eminent? I sighed. It was going to be a very stressful, busy week for me.

Nanny came in and helped me into a dark blue, almost black, dress and pulled my hair into a tight bun.

"The council is here, Your Eminence," a maid announced as soon as Nanny was finished.

I nodded wordlessly and looked at my reflection in the mirror. Deeming myself ready (or as ready as I could be), I walked down the stairs to the meeting room.

"Her Eminence, Elphaba Melena Thropp."

The doors opened and I walked in. My great-grandfather's advisors –who were now _my_ advisors– all stood and bowed to me as I walked in and sat at the head of the table.

"It is with a sense of reverence and honor that I address you, my trusted advisors, as your Eminence. I sincerely mourn the death of my great-grandfather, His Eminence Peerless Thropp. But I know I may count on all of you to serve me as well as you served him," I addressed them, trying to keep my voice from wavering.

I looked around at everyone gathered in the room. I knew the names of most of them, but some faces didn't bring any recognition.

"I know I am young. In fact, I know I am the youngest Eminent to rise to power. But I am willing to learn. And I mean to devote the rest of my life to the service of Munchkinland. I look to all of you for help in this. I know I will not be disappointed. Thank you."

As I stood, the counselors bowed and I walked out the room. As soon as the door closed behind me, I let out a huff of relief. That went much better than I thought it would.

The next day was what I was dreading most; Great-grandfather's funeral. I didn't eat breakfast, despite Nanny's insistence. I couldn't eat. I wasn't hungry. She eventually got me to eat some fruit, but that was it.

Nanny helped me into a black mourning dress. It had long sleeves, a high collar, and buttons all the way down the front. There was a bit of a hoop skirt inside the dress to make it fan out a bit, but not too much. The outer layer of the dress opened up a bit, revealing an intricate pattern on the under-layer. She pinned my hair back into a braided bun and gently rubbed my shoulder.

"You'll be fine, mon ange," she whispered, softly kissing my cheek.

I smiled despite myself. I placed my hand on top of hers and looked at her in the mirror. "Thank you, Nanny."

"The carriage is ready, Your Eminence," a servant announced from my doorway as he bowed.

"Thank you," I nodded as I put on my black mourning veil, bonnet, and gloves. I walked out of my room and slowly descended the stairs. Even with the hoop skirt, the dress still swept the floor, so I found myself daintily holding it up to avoid tripping over it.

"Guards, present arms!"

The Munchkin militia saluted me as I walked out to the carriage. I accepted the footman's help getting into the carriage and settled myself in as the door closed.

The funeral was held the Cateline Chapel, the same chapel where my birthday mass was held. As I looked out the window, I saw the streets lined with people. They weren't waving and cheering like they did before. This time, they were quiet and somber.

The carriage stopped in front of the chapel and a footman helped me down. I received another salute from the militia as I entered the church. As I walked, the invited dignitaries and officials bowed and curtsied to me as I walked to the front row. The king and queen of the Vinkus were there, but there was no sign of Fiyero.

I took my seat in the front row and stared at the closed-casket with the Munchkinland flag draped over it.

"In gratitude, it is with heavy hearts that we bid a final farewell to a greatly loved ruler, our Eminent, Peerless Lyntain Thropp," the priest began. "For leading our beautiful country these past forty-six years, we are eternally grateful. He was the perfect example of everything a leader should be; wise, compassionate, brave, even-tempered, and loving the country he served so dearly."

 _You didn't live with him_ , I thought, and tried to keep my face neutral.

"We thank the Unnamed God for the gift of Eminent Peerless Thropp and hope he is granted eternal rest in paradise."

I don't remember any other specific details about the funeral. I just remember lots of singing and many speeches given by dignitaries about what a wonderful leader my great-grandfather was. I listened, or at least, I pretended to listen. I wanted nothing more than to go back to the palace and change my dress. I was getting hot.

A long two and a half hours later, the service was over. Six militiamen came forward and acted as pallbearers. They carried the casket out and I followed them out. Once I was out of the chapel, I heard the others in attendance began to stand and walk out. As Great-grandfather was placed in the hearse carriage, I stayed at the base of the chapel steps to accept more condolences.

I listened to endless comments of "I'm so sorry for your loss", "He must have been very dear to you", and "You are in my prayers". They didn't say that I had big shoes to fill, and they didn't need to. Despite my personal relationship with my great-grandfather, I don't doubt that he was a great leader and I did, in fact, have very big shoes to fill.

Great-grandfather was buried in the private cemetery of the Thropps, just beyond the west side of the garden. All of the past Thropps, including my grandmother and mother, were buried there. I never met my grandmother, and my memories of my mother were few and far between. Only the Colwen Grounds staff, Munchkinland officials, the priest, and I attended the actual burial. All of Oz didn't need to come just to watch my great-grandfather's body being laid six feet in the ground.

Once the official burial was over, the officials began to leave first. I dismissed the staff, telling them that I wished to stay alone for a few minutes. Nanny was there and didn't look too pleased, but curtsied and left me alone.

I walked a few feet over to a familiar grave. I knelt down to read the plaque.

 _Here lies Melena Guilene Thropp_

 _Thropp Second Descending_

 _Cherished Granddaughter, Beloved Wife, and Loving Mother_

 _May She Rest With The Unnamed God Forever_

I ran my fingers over the raised lettering of the plaque. "Hi, Mama," I whispered. "I know it's been a while since I've come here, and I'm sorry. Things have been so hectic since Great-grandfather's passing."

A sudden breeze swept through and I closed my eyes. "I officially become Eminent Thropp in three days, and I can't begin to tell you how nervous I am. I'm pretty sure that people will try to take advantage of me in every possible way and expect me to fail simply because I'm young, but I'm determined to prove them wrong. I love you, Mama, and I promise I'll visit again soon."

I slowly rose to my feet and made my way back to the palace. Once I entered, every staff member I encountered greeted with a bow or curtsy, followed by a quiet, "Your Eminence".

I knew that was going to take some getting used to. At first, every time someone called me 'Your Eminence', I wouldn't answer because I thought they were addressing my great-grandfather. I would just have to quickly adjust to my new title.

I went into my room to see it almost packed up. That night would be the last night in my room. The following day, I would move into the master bedroom, which was my great-grandfather's old room.

I went over to my secret drawer and took out my fairytale book. I flipped through the pages, not reading the stories, but glancing at the pictures. I then realized that since I was now the one in charge, I didn't have to keep any more secrets from anyone. I reached under my pillow and pulled out my mother's green bottle. I suddenly felt that maybe being in charge wasn't going to be as bad as I originally thought.


	9. I Rise To Power Part 2

**18lzytwner: Of course he'll help her!**

* * *

The days leading up to my instatement as Eminent Thropp felt like the calm before the storm. It wasn't as hectic as I expected. I had time to write to Galinda, Fiyero, and Nessarose, and I also had more time for pleasure reading. I knew this downtime wouldn't happen again once I took the throne, so I took advantage of it.

I was fully moved into the master bedroom. I was never allowed in this room before, so it felt weird that I now had to call it my own. I was never one to get sentimentally attached to something, but during my first night sleeping in a bed that was much too big for only one person, I found myself longing to be back in my old room. I knew giving into these cravings would only make it harder for me to adjust to becoming Eminent, so I did my best to push them away. I reached under my pillow and pulled out the green bottle. I looked at it for a bit before placing it back under my pillow and trying to get some sleep.

Finally, the big day arrived. I woke up before Nanny came to get me. I knew I would have to try and wean myself from letting her be my personal alarm clock every morning.

I went downstairs for breakfast in only my nightgown and robe. I hesitantly took Great-grandfather's seat, as I had been doing the past few days. I felt very weird stepping into his place. It felt like I was trying to replace him. But then I realize that was exactly what I was doing. That's what I needed to do.

"Would you like some more coffee, Your Eminence?" a maid asked, appearing with a pot to refill my cup.

"No, thank you, Faire," I said, rising to my feet. I walked back to my room, where Nanny was waiting for our morning routine. "I'd like to try the Vinkun bath salts, Nanny," I said, referring to my birthday gift from Princess Cierrah.

"Of course, Your Eminence," Nanny nodded.

"And I don't want you to call me 'Your Eminence'."

Nanny turned and stared at me.

"Not you, Nanny. At least, not when we're alone. You raised me. You're the closest person to me here."

Nanny still didn't say anything.

"If you insist on being proper in public, that's your choice. But… I would really prefer if you didn't call me by my official title."

A smile slowly appeared on Nanny's face and she gently placed her hand against my cheek. I closed my eyes as I nuzzled my cheek against her warm hand.

"Whatever you wish, Miss Elphaba," she said. At least that was a start.

When I came out from the bath, Nanny helped me into ceremonial brown robes. She helped me with my chords and styled my hair into a high bun. Once I was done, I went down to the carriage to be taken to the Parliamentary building.

I had never been to the Parliamentary building before. All meetings with the advisors were in the meeting room of the palace. I suppose the advisors met in Parliament to argue over all the issues before reporting to my great-grandfather.

The building itself was beautiful and very spacious. As usual, there was a crowd gathered, and I began to wonder if people had been camping out this whole time.

As soon as I entered the building, I immediately became self-conscious. I don't know why, but I did. I looked at all of the dignitaries who I assumed stayed somewhere in Munchkinland between the days of my great-grandfather's funeral and my instatement.

The ceremony itself was very quick. I approached the head of Parliament to recite the Munchkin creed.

"Are you prepared to take the oath?" he asked me.

"I am," I said confidently, then repeated the words dictated to me. "I, Elphaba Melena Thropp, do solemnly swear… that I will execute the office of Eminence of Munchkinland faithfully… and will, to the best of my ability… preserve, protect, and defend all of Munchkinland and its Constitution… This is my promise to Munchkinland and the supreme country of Oz."

Everyone applauded for me and I bowed to my now-fellow rulers and dignitaries. I was now officially the Eminent Thropp. I was now the ruler of Munchkinland.

* * *

As soon as I got back to the palace, I took a much-needed nap. I was exhausted and wanted nothing more than to have some peace and quiet before preparing for the ball. I woke up around three hours before the ball was supposed to start.

As I was waking up, Nanny knocked and helped me get ready. I took another quick bath, taking a final moment to myself. My evening gown was dark silver with three-quarter sleeves, a low neckline, and a skirt that hugged my form and flowed down to my ankles. I slipped on a pair of matching flats as Nanny styled my hair into an elegant headband braid.

"You look beautiful, mon ange," she said, stepping back to take me in.

I looked at my reflection in the mirror and put on my sash and white gloves. I looked over at Nanny and gave her a hug before hurrying downstairs to greet my guests.

Unlike my birthday, everyone had already gathered by the time I came downstairs. I was officially announced as "Her Eminence, Elphaba Melena" and the doors opened. I received applause, bows, and curtsies as I entered. I made a brief speech welcoming everyone and thanking them for attending. I looked around and smiled at the familiar faces; Galinda, Joachim, Cierrah, and Fiyero. My father and sister were unable to attend, since Nessarose had school the next day. According to Father, she was cranky when she woke up for school the morning after my birthday ball from not getting enough sleep.

I was surprised to see Fiyero at the ball, since he wasn't at my official instatement. When I questioned him about it, he said that he had to do something in the Vinkus and could only make it for the ball.

When the first dance started, he immediately asked me to dance, which I accepted.

"How have you been holding up?" he asked as we danced.

"I'm fine. This is the calm before the storm. I… I'm stronger than I look."

Fiyero's lips twitched and I blushed.

"I never got a chance to properly thank you for what you did at my birthday ball."

"What I did?"

"You dancing with my sister. That was very sweet of you."

"Miss Nessarose is a very nice girl. And she looked like she could use a bit of cheering up."

"How did you know that?"

"I know what being bored at a party looks like."

He didn't elaborate on that last comment, so I let it slide. "Well… in any case, thank you."

"You're welcome, Your Eminence."

"Elphaba."

"What?"

I took a breath. "I… I want you to call me Elphaba… please. All of this constant 'Your Eminence' is making me feel… numb. Hearing people call me 'Elphaba' makes me feel more… human. Like… I'm more than just my position and title."

Fiyero looked thoughtful.

"Plus, I was thinking we could be… friends." That sounded a lot less awkward in my head.

"Friends?"

I nodded. "If that's alright with you."

"Of course it's alright with me," Fiyero said as he twirled me around. "And you can call me… Fiyero."

I chuckled softly. "Very well… Fiyero."

"Very well… Elphaba."

The dance ended and he immediately offered me the next one. Three dances later, I left the floor, completely exhausted.

"I saw that," Galinda said as she seemingly materialized next to me.

"What did you see?" I asked, grabbing a glass of water and sitting down at a table in the corner.

The grand duchess sat down next to me. "You dancing with Prince Fiyero. You two dance beautifully together."

"He's a very good dancer."

"He must be, since he kept dancing with you, even though you kept stepping on his toes."

"Do you think he noticed?" Galinda gave me a pointed look and I sighed. "I did apologize to him."

"Whatever the case, I think you two are a very cute couple."

"We're not a couple, Galinda," I said, making sure to keep my voice down. "As a matter of fact, we just became friends."

"Friends or _friends_?"

"Is there a difference?"

I got the pointed look again. "Have you two been writing to each other?"

"As often as we can."

"And he's very cute," the grand duchess said as she looked over at the prince talking to his brother. "Both Vinkun princes are. And aren't their accents adorable?"

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. "They're intriguing."

"Oh, Elphie, admit it," Galinda said as she lightly smacked my leg. "You like Prince Fiyero."

"Of course I like him. He's very good company."

"No, I mean you like, _like_ him."

"As a friend?"

"As _more_ than a friend, Elphie. And he likes you, too. I can see it."

"Oh, you can, can you?"

The blonde huffed. "I know I'm right. You'll see." She rose to her feet. "I'm going to speak to Prince Joachim."

I nodded and watched her go. I looked at everyone dancing and mingling. This was going to be my life from now on. Hosting parties, dinners, meetings, and the like was going to be my job for the rest of my life. I caught Fiyero's eye again and he smiled at me. I returned the smile and leaned back in my seat a bit, taking everything in.

* * *

The next day started my first full day as the Eminent. Nanny picked out a maroon blouse and long, black skirt for me to wear.

"You look very official, Miss Elphaba," Nanny said, calling me 'Miss Elphaba' because the door was open.

"Thank you, Nanny," I said, tucking the front of my blouse into the skirt. She braided my hair and I went downstairs for breakfast.

After eating, I went into my office. It would take a while before I got used to it being mine. Before, this room was where I was always reprehended for doing something wrong. Now, it would be considered one of my sanctuaries.

As soon as I entered the office, there was a stack of paperwork to be done. Some of it was leftover work my great-grandfather never finished. Other papers were new things. I took a seat behind the desk and slipped on my reading glasses as I got to work.

By tea break, I was exhausted. As I drank my tea, I looked out the window. My office had a wonderful view of the garden. Parolio was working on the rose bushes, and I didn't see Deon. I noticed the cherry blossom tree beginning to flower. So much change was happening.

I finished my official work at six o'clock, one hour before dinner. I had my dinner brought up to my room. I couldn't stand being in the dining hall, eating by myself. Even if I technically ate by myself all my life, since I was so separated from Great-grandfather, just having another person in the room with me made me feel slightly better. Now… it was just me. I was all alone. A big house and no one to share it with.

I took to roaming the halls after dinner. I strolled past familiar and unfamiliar rooms alike. I felt like getting lost in the halls, wanting to drift back to simpler times.

I don't know how, but somehow, I ended up in the portrait gallery. I walked through the large hall, looking up at the pictures of my ancestors.

I stopped beneath a portrait of my great-grandfather. He looked so young, this was probably right after he ascended to power. He was wearing a dark blue suit and white shirt. He sat in a chair with his hands neatly folded, looking straight ahead at the painter. He looked so serious. He wasn't smiling.

I moved on and found a picture of him with his wife, my great-grandmother. I looked at the plaque.

 _His Eminence, Peerless Thropp, and his wife, Lady Maybella Klarissea Thropp_

He was sitting down and my great-grandmother was standing next to him, her hand resting on the chair. Next was a painting of my great-grandparents, holding a baby in their arms.

 _His Eminence, Peerless Thropp, his wife Lady Maybella, and their daughter, Her Excellency Partra Surah Thropp_

Next was a picture of my grandparents holding a baby, which I assumed was my mother. But when I looked at the plaque, I found out that I was wrong.

 _Her Excellency, Heir Apparent Partra Thropp, Master Romen Thropp, and their daughter, Sophelia Apostla Thropp_

Sophelia Thropp? I had never heard that name before. Did my mother have an older sister? What had happened to her? Where was she now? Was she still alive? She wasn't buried in the family cemetery, so she must still be alive. I would have to ask about her.

I continued to go down the line, looking at the portraits. The next one was with Sophelia looking around five years old, and my grandparents were holding another baby. I looked at the plaque and saw that it was my mother. So she did have an older sister.

The next picture was of Great-grandfather again. He was sitting in a chair again, looking older, and this time, I was in the portrait as well.

I remember standing for this portrait. This was shortly after I moved into the palace. I had just turned four, so as one could guess, I didn't want to stand still for a portrait. Great-grandfather was wearing a silver suit, and I was wearing my uniform. My hair was braided and my hands were neatly folded in front of me. Even though the painter managed to capture my youthful glow and the childlike innocence in my eyes, I know better. I was being turned into a little adult.

That was the last painting. I assumed that my parents didn't have one together because, from what I understood, Mama ran away to marry Father. That was why Great-grandfather didn't like my father. Apparently, she was supposed to marry a rich dignitary instead of a middle-class preacher. She had run away and eloped with my father.

I remember one of the papers on my desk was for me to schedule my own official Eminent Thropp painting. I wondered how long I could put that off.

When I got back to my room, I saw a maid packing my dresses into a suitcase.

"Your Eminence," she curtsied when she noticed me.

I nodded to her. "Have you packed my purple dress?"

"Yes, ma'am. I've also packed your silver dress, your navy dress, and your dark fuchsia outfit."

"Good. Thank you," I said as I sat at my desk and opened a letter from Fiyero.

"Is there anything else you require for tomorrow?"

I would be going on my official tour of Munchkinland. I wouldn't be seeing everything, just the major cities of Munchkin City, Center Munch, The Corn Basket, and Bright Lettins. This whole trip would take two-weeks, and I would be visiting hospitals, orphanages, help centers and the like. This was my time to learn about my people and what they needed from me as their ruler.

I had asked about adding Rush Margins to the list, but I was denied since it wasn't considered a "big enough city". I had mentioned that The Corn Basket wasn't even a city at all, but a very vast field of corn crops that stretched for miles and miles. I was told that it was part of my job to inspect the fields of one of our biggest exports. If anything, I wanted to go to Rush Margins as an excuse to see Nessarose and Father again.

Despite the impending business of the tour, I was actually looking forward to it. I barely got to travel, so I was really looking forward to getting out of the palace.

* * *

 **If anyone wants to know what the USA Presidential Oath of Office is, then you just read it… obviously minus the ending Munchkinland part.**


	10. I Play The Game

My two-week tour of Munchkinland was nothing short of exhausting. I gave speeches at small assemblies, visited hospitals and orphanages, participated in ribbon-cutting ceremonies, and met with lesser officials. By the time I returned home, I was completely drained of all my energy. As tired as I was, I knew this was only the beginning.

The next few months proved me correct. I was kept very busy with paperwork and planning dinner parties. Two months after my succession, there was a fever outbreak in the Quadling Country. Many Quadlings were fleeing to Munchkinland in the hope of finding sanctuary.

"We must have a tighter border control," one of my advisors, Sir Harv, said as he met with me in my office.

"The Munchkin borders are already well-patrolled, Sir Harv," I said, looking over the report.

"And yet, many Quadlings are managing to sneak in undetected. Once they enter the country, we can't track them."

"And you suggest that we do what, exactly?"

"Create a way to find the illegal Quadlings and send them back."

"They are escaping an outbreak, Sir Harv."

"And yet, I see no reason why they must come here."

"They are also fleeing to the Vinkus. Besides, I don't think they intend on making Munchkinland their permanent home."

"It's not our fault they allowed their swamps to sit years without public health inspections. We should not have to pay the price."

"Sir Harv –"

"More importantly, what if they bring the infection with them and Munchkinland becomes infected? Are Munchkins going to be expected to flee to the Gillikin?"

"That's enough, Sir Harv," I said impatiently. I took off my glasses and rubbed my eyes. "If we add extra border control on the Munchkin-Quadling border, we must also add it to the Munchkin-Gillikin border. And right now, there is not enough money in the budget for both."

Sir Harv worked his jaw.

"Now, if you think of a better plan, please let me know. Otherwise, we need to move on."

"Of course, ma'am," he said and I nodded as I took out another paper.

I thought the problem would go away on its own. But unfortunately, the more I tried to ignore the problem, the more it grew and demanded my attention.

"There have been reports of Munchkins beginning to get sick," Sir Harv said as he handed me a packet.

I flipped through it and frowned. "Most of the outbreaks have been near Upper Applerue. That's near the Gillikin border. You really think that the Quadlings would settle up there? That would be a very drastic climate change for them."

"They would do anything to be as far away from the outbreak as possible, Your Eminence."

Finally, I had enough. Fighting with Sir Harv wasn't getting me anywhere, so I decided to listen to him. He advised me to limit trade with the Quadling Country, to raise taxes to help pay for the extra border control, and to petition the Wizard for more funding. I set up clinics near the infected areas to help those infected. Sir Harv even advised me to set up a grand census to determine who wasn't on the official list of Munchkinland citizens.

"I will not have the Quadlings sent back," I said. "And if there is a possibility of them being sick, I don't want the disease spreading further. Is the Grandieur Estate being used right now?"

"No, Your Eminence," Sir Harv said.

"Good. I want the estate used as temporary homes for the Quadlings who have come here illegally. Once the outbreak passes, they will be sent back."

"Your Eminence, I don't think this is such a good idea," Sir Liunes said as he sat across from me.

"Oh? And why is that?" I asked. I still hadn't forgotten that Sir Liunes wanted a regency for me until I turned twenty-five.

"Finding and moving the Quadlings will take time and money, the two things that are not in a high abundance at the moment."

I sighed. "Well, what else could we do? I cannot have Munchkinland catch this outbreak. There are reports of Quadlings beginning to die from the fever."

The room was silent.

"Very well, then. We will continue with Sir Harv's proposal."

Later that week, I received a letter from Fiyero.

 _Dear Elphaba,_

 _I know the situation with the Quadling Country is very stressful for you. My parents and sister are working together with our counselors to try and solve it. We have some Quadling migrants, but not nearly as much as Munchkinland._

 _My only advice to you is to be very careful about Sir Harv's plans. While they seem okay for a short-term, I don't think this outbreak is a short-term problem. And from what I heard, Sir Harv is notorious for his racism against the Quadlings._

 _Yours,_

 _Fiyero_

After reading the letter, I crumbled it up and tossed it aside. Fiyero wasn't a ruler, so what did he know? He had no idea of the position I was in. And he didn't know anything about Sir Harv. No matter how annoying he was about this matter, Sir Harv served my great-grandfather very well. He was very reliable and always offered sound advice. I had to count on him to get me through this and my other future challenges.

I sat down on my bed, playing with the hem of my skirt. I didn't know what to do. Tensions were beginning to rise between Munchkinland and the Quadlings, and I could only hope it got better before it got worse.

The next week, I was sitting at my desk, signing a few more proposals about the situation. "Your Eminence, Prince Fiyero of the Vinkus is here."

I looked up. "What?"

"The prince is here, ma'am."

I looked in my datebook at the week of September third and remembered that he had asked to see me and would be staying for three days. How did I forget?

I hurried out of my office and met him in the foyer. "Prince Fiyero," I curtsied.

"Your Eminence," Fiyero bowed.

I smiled as I led him to my office. As soon as I closed the door behind us, we both relaxed.

"I've missed you, Elphaba," he said, gently taking my hand.

I stepped closer to him. "I've missed you, too."

"How are you holding up?"

"Fine. I would be better if I didn't have to face this major crisis."

Fiyero smiled sympathetically. I felt my face heat up and bowed my head in an attempt to hide my blush. He gently lifted my face back up to look at him and I could see him blushing too.

"I have some more work to finish," I said, awkwardly clearing my throat as I gently pulled away.

"May I stay with you?"

I glanced at him, but smiled. "Of course."

We sat in silence for a while as I read through the most recent report.

"May I help you with something?"

I must have looked confused, because why else would he have asked that? "You think you can be of help to me?"

"I'd like to try," Fiyero said, reaching for the paper.

I handed it to him and he scanned it over. I waited expectedly, wondering how much Fiyero actually learned about running a country, being third-in-line and all. "There's also a shortage of low-income houses that I have to try and fix," I said, taking out another piece of paper.

"May I show you something?"

I nodded and Fiyero took a blank piece of paper and a pen from my desk. "With the vast expansion of industry and jobs in the cities, people are moving away from the countryside to look for better jobs," I explained. "With the Corn Basket doing so well, people were stopping their own little farms and moving to the big cities. And because of that, cities are running low on living spaces."

I looked down and saw Fiyero drawing something that looked like a small, two-story house with two separate doors. "What's that?"

"My parents have been experimenting with this idea in the Vinkus. By building small homes in units of two, you can build clean, safe homes for two families, and it would cost less than…" He stopped. "I'm sorry. I'm rambling."

"No, please continue," I encouraged him. "You are clearly very passionate about this." I paused briefly before continuing. "I see I still have a lot more to learn. With all of my responsibilities, and I do take them very seriously."

"I know you do."

"But there are plenty of people who expect me to fail. And even more trying to take advantage of my youth and inexperience." I looked up at Fiyero and saw something unreadable in his expression.

He gently placed his hand on top of mine and I felt a spark shoot up my arm. Why did I always feel sparks every time he touched me? Was this normal?

"Then they don't know you like I do."

I looked into his eyes and my lips twitched. My gaze shifted back down to the drawing. "May I keep this?"

The prince smiled as he quickly scribed his signature in the corner of the page. I couldn't help but laugh as he gave it to me.

"If you should ever become a famous artist, I will be able to brag that I own your very first sketches."

Fiyero laughed and I felt my heart jump into my throat. His laugh was so deep, yet light and it made me feel things I've never felt before. I looked back at the drawing again.

"This is… really quite good," I said, gently placing the paper aside.

He smiled at me, and I could feel him slowly moving closer to me. Our faces grew closer and one part of me wondered what was going on. The other part of me already knew.

I felt the most powerful spark fly through my body as he pressed his lips against mine. I didn't imagine what my first kiss would be like very often, but when I did, this is exactly how I pictured it.

It was perfect.

* * *

 _Does the Eminent Thropp Care More About Quadlings Than About Her Own People?_

 _Why Won't The Eminent Thropp Do Something About the Quadling Crisis?_

 _Does The Eminent Thropp's Plan To Keep Quadlings in Munchkinland Pose a Threat to the National Security of Munchkinland?_

I tossed the papers aside. I couldn't deal with the daily news at the moment. I was trying, but clearly, I wasn't trying hard enough.

"Another Munchkin fever outbreak," Sir Harv growled as he tossed a packet onto my desk.

I frowned at him, not appreciating the gesture. Fiyero left the week before and I found myself really missing his company. "Alright."

"Alright?"

"We need to send the Quadlings back."

"Very good, Your Eminence. I'll let General Huitan know that –"

"And I want it done as peacefully as possible," I interrupted him. The last thing I needed was for this to turn violent. And while I didn't expect it to be completely peaceful, I didn't want there to be any bloodshed.

"You are making the right decision, Your Eminence," Sir Harv bowed as he left my office.

 _Then why do I feel bad?_ I thought to myself, placing my head on my desk.

"People are saying that I'll bring Munchkinland to its lowest point," I confessed to Nanny that night.

She put down the hairbrush and gently ran her fingers through my hair. "No one said it would be easy, mon ange. It'll pass, you'll see. Goodnight."

"Night," I said, not looking at her as she left.

As I laid in bed that night, I couldn't stop thinking about my full plate. I just hoped that I would be able to clear at least half of it before more food got dumped on it.

* * *

Unfortunately, I didn't hope enough. Over the next week, Sir Harv carried out my order to evacuate the Quadlings from Munchkinland. Or at least, I thought he did.

I honestly didn't know how it would work, but he had assured me that everything would be fine. Unfortunately, the news didn't get to me before it was too late.

 _Eminent Thropp Approves Forced Removal of Quadlings from their Homes_

 _Munchkin Citizens of Quadling Descent Dragged Out Of Their Homes and Forced to Move To Quadling Country_

 _Protests Rise Up In Cities All Over Munchkinland_

I threw the papers aside. Sir Harv manipulated and used me. Fiyero was right. Sir Harv used me to carry out his personal agenda without any thought to the damage it would cause me.

Eventually, the protests grew so much that they made their way to the gates of the palace. I saw everything from my window. The militia was at the ready, their bayonets and guns ready to protect me in case things got too crazy.

I sat in the sitting room as the noise continued outside. I was having tea with a few society ladies when a footman knocked at the door. A footman knocked on the open door and I turned around. I nodded for him to approach and he bowed.

"What's wrong?" I asked him.

"An armed man has been found in the gardens, ma'am."

I was shocked. "What?"

"He said he wished to harm Your Eminence."

As soon as he said that, the windows shattered. Screams filled my ears as everyone rose to their feet and ran out. A few militiamen came and escorted me up to the safety of my room. Nanny was waiting for me, with the curtains completely closed and the lights off. She collected me into her arms as we sat in the corner, waiting for the word that everything was okay.

I silently cried as I laid in her arms. I was terrified. Someone had tried to kill me. Just the thought of someone wanting me dead made me realize how much I actually messed up.

"It's alright, mon ange. Everything will be okay," Nanny whispered as she kissed my forehead.

But I knew she was wrong. It wasn't going to be okay.


	11. I Follow My Heart

**Sorry for the late chapter, everyone! Fanfiction wasn't letting me upload my documents, so I couldn't post.**

* * *

 _Dear Elphaba,_

 _While these days may feel endless, you should not lose faith in yourself or your country. We are all allowed to make mistakes, especially when we have looked to others for guidance. I wish I could give you advice on how to fix this. But all I can tell you is to follow your heart. Open your mind, examine your choices, and your honesty will take you through this storm. I have the utmost confidence in you that you can do this and make it right. You have courage and heart and I remember you telling me that you are stronger than you look._

 _If you should ever need help, please don't hesitate to ask me. I want to be useful to you, if not as a political advisor, then as a friend._

 _Yours,_

 _Fiyero_

...

 _Dear Fiyero,_

 _The storm still rages outside the palace walls. I'm beginning to think that everyone, especially Sir Liunes, was right. Maybe I am too young for this much power. I have proven that I am unfit and unprepared for the task. I feel so alone. I feel like people will tell me things just to make me fail. After this assassination attempt, it will take a while for me to get my courage and confidence back. My great-grandfather didn't make a mistake this big, and if he did, I never heard of anyone trying to take his life._

 _I thank you for your kind words, but I still have a long way to go. I am truly grateful for our friendship. In terms of you being useful to me… not yet. I must get through this storm on my own._

 _Always,_

 _Elphaba_

"But, Your Eminence, surely –"

"No, Sir Harv. You have used me and now, you will fix the mess you helped me make. I want you to track down every Munchkin citizen who was removed from their homes and reinstate them, along with a monetary compensation from your account. I will agree to meet with the Quadling Top Chief and find a way to correct this upset."

I could tell that Sir Harv wasn't the least bit pleased, but he nodded.

"Sir Harv," I called after him when he reached the door of my office.

"Your Eminence?"

"No funny business this time."

Sir Harv's lips twitched, but he bowed and swiftly left, closing the door behind him.

It took the better part of the next two months, but things slowly began clearing up with the Quadling Country. I met with the Top Chief and we discussed where to go. I agreed to send funds and medical supplies to the Quadling Country to help contain the outbreak, and once it was over, remove the extra border patrols.

I told him that while Munchkinland would be unable to accept more refugees since I didn't want the outbreak to spread even more in Munchkinland, I told him that the sick Quadlings in the country would be safely quarantined and taken care of until they were well enough to travel back.

The Top Chief agreed to my help and thanked me for meeting with him. Once our meeting was over, I was starting to believe that things would really get better.

During those two months, there were more protests because people believed that I was favoring helping Quadlings over the destitute Munchkinlanders. They _really_ thought that after I visited orphanages, hospitals, food banks, clinics, and help centers that I didn't still care about them. Munchkins were known to be very small-minded at times.

"I can only fix one problem at a time," I sighed, rubbing my temple against my oncoming headache. "Once we get this situation with the Quadling Country under control, I will focus more on domestic issues."

The two advisors I was with people didn't know what to say, or what they _should_ say, so they simply nodded. "Very good, ma'am."

A month later, in early December, the outbreak had ended and the sick Quadlings had returned home. I wrote personal apology letters to everyone affected by the "Quadling removal". I wrote so many letters that I couldn't feel my hand afterwards. I had Sir Liunes get me a full report on the living conditions of the poorest places in Munchkinland, which included an inventory of parish benefits, housing, and everything else.

"Very good, Ma'am," he told me when I said I wanted it by the end of the following month.

The whole time, I continued to write to Fiyero. His letters really encouraged me through the whole ordeal. It was then I realized that I no longer wanted his encouragement through letters, which is why I wrote my final letter to him.

 _Dear Fiyero,_

 _A few months ago, you asked me if you could be of help to me. And I, ever so brave, proud, and confident in my great powers replied "Not yet". But since that time, so much has changed._

 _Please come to Munchkinland again soon. I… I need you._

 _Yours,_

 _Elphaba_

The prince came back the following week. When he arrived, I completely forwent all proper protocol and wrapped my arms around him. Although a bit surprised, he quickly returned the hug and I relaxed against him.

The next day, I asked a maid to find him and tell him to meet me in the parlor during tea break.

"You asked for me?" Fiyero asked when he entered.

I was sitting on the sofa and I turned to face him, patting the spot next to me. "Sit, please."

The prince sat down, looking as nervous as I felt. "I went for a walk through the back park. It's very beautiful."

"I'm glad you like it. I want you to feel… quite at home here." I paused briefly. "I'm sure you're aware of why I wished for you to come here."

"Into the parlor?"

"Yes… but I meant back to Munchkinland."

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. Or at least… I will be… soon… hopefully."

"What did you want to ask me?"

"It would… make me very happy… too happy, really, if you would agree to what I'm asking of you. And I… hope it would make you happy, too. I really enjoy your company, Fiyero. And I miss you whenever you're not here. And I… I don't want to be apart from you anymore."

I couldn't tell if Fiyero had stiffened or relaxed, but his posture changed. "You want me to stay here with you?"

"Yes," I nodded.

"And marry you?" he smiled hopefully.

I felt tears in my eyes as I nodded again. "And marry me."

Fiyero stood up and gently pulled me to my feet and kissed me. It felt just as good as the first time, if not better. "Yes," he whispered against my lips. "A thousand times yes." He gently pulled away and wiped the tears from my eyes, and I did the same to him.

We agreed not to make the public statement until we had written to our respective families and received responses. I wrote a letter to Father and Nessarose, telling them the big news. I asked Father to give me away and Nessarose to be my flower girl. My sister wrote back in full-caps, and while Father stuck to the rules of professional writing, he was clearly very excited and happy that I asked him to give me away.

Once Fiyero heard back from his parents, sister, and brother, who were all equally excited, we drafted the official announcement. His family wanted to know how he proposed, and I laughed as I watched him write back that _I'm_ the one who proposed to _him_ , since I'm the ruler.

"I never really thought about how I would propose to anyone," he had told me thoughtfully.

"I never thought about how I would propose to anyone either," I had admitted, which somehow lead to us kissing again.

"How does this sound?" Fiyero asked, handing me a piece of paper.

 _The Official Eminence Estate at Colwen Grounds_

 _December 11th_

 _Her Eminence, Elphaba Melena Thropp, is pleased to announce that she is now engaged to the youngest son of the Vinkun monarchs, King Raal and Queen Amalie, Prince Fiyero Liir Tigulaar. The twenty-year-old prince will be the first of his siblings to get married._

 _The wedding will take place at the Cateline Chapel in mid-March. Further details to follow soon._

"We're getting married in mid-March?" I asked, raising an amused eyebrow.

"Is the weather not seasonable in mid-March?" Fiyero asked.

I chuckled. "It depends on what you mean by 'seasonable'."

"It won't rain all the time, will it?"

"No… not _all_ the time."

Fiyero laughed and kissed me yet again. I had to admit, I did love it when he kissed me. I could easily get used to it, and I fully intended to.

Munchkinland seemed happy as a whole that I had chosen a husband. But that didn't mean that I was completely forgiven. And to be honest, I still hadn't completely forgiven myself.

But the holiday season was coming up, so everyone was in high spirits. While Munchkinland, as a whole, didn't celebrate Lurlinemas, since it was a predominately Unionist country, that didn't mean decorations weren't in place. When my great-grandfather was the Eminent, decorations in the palace were kept to a minimal.

"So, if Munchkins don't celebrate Lurlinemas, what do you celebrate?" Fiyero asked as he tried, and failed, to braid my hair.

"We have a seven-day celebration called the Feast of Plenty. It goes from the day after Lurlinemas to the first day of the New Year."

"Is it a religious holiday?"

"No. It's a time where we give thanks for the year as a whole, specifically the harvests. On the first day, we families come together and have a big feast. There are seven principals of the holiday and each evening, after eating, a candle of the kinara is lit and a principle is discussed."

"What are the principals?"

"There's unity, self-determination, responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith. And each night, everyone in the household gets to open one present."

"That sounds amazing."

"If you want, you can go back to your family to celebrate Lurlinemas. I'm afraid the most festive we get will be a few simple decorations. We won't even have a tree."

"What about celebrating the Feast of Plenty?"

I grinned. "We'll have plenty of time to celebrate it for the rest of our lives."

We were both silent for a while, sitting together on the sofa. "Elphaba?"

"Mmm?"

"I love you."

I looked at him and smiled. "I love you, too."

* * *

 **I know this is a short-ish chapter, but at least we got our Fiyeraba wedding in the works.**

 **And can anyone guess the holiday I based the Feast of Plenty off of? If anyone guesses correctly, I will be very impressed (And might even offer a prize *Smirk*)**

 **Don't forget to review! :-D**


	12. I Am Not Alone

**Congrats to Guest and Grapesoda77 for guessing the holiday. The Feast of Plenty is based off to Kwanzaa! You both get a oneshot with the prompt of your choice. Grapesode77, please PM me. Guest, you can leave your prompt as a review! :-D**

* * *

Just because I announced my engagement didn't mean I stopped my duties. I spent many weeks implementing new programs to help the lower class and improving hospitals. I turned two old apartment buildings into an affordable housing area and personally inspected it before it opened.

The improvements weren't happening as quickly as I would have liked. Most of my advisors told me that many arguments were happening in Parliament around my proposals. Most of them were against it, saying that it would cost too much money or any other excuse they could come up with. But eventually, they passed.

Since I now had my official Eminent Thropp signature stamp, signing and sending out the numerous wedding invitations was significantly easier. I was so grateful that my hand wasn't cramping up like it used to.

Fiyero returned to the Vinkus for January and February to be with his family. He was upset about leaving me, and I practically had to push him out of the palace. We wrote about three letters back and forth to each other. I was more focused on writing letters to Galinda and Nessarose.

I asked Galinda to be my maid of honor, which she happily accepted. I wasn't close enough to anyone to ask to be bridesmaids, and because of that, Fiyero didn't have any groomsmen, and only had his brother as his best man.

The night before the wedding, I had Galinda and Nessarose spend the night at the palace. Fiyero and his brother went out to explore the village and I knew I wouldn't see them again until the ceremony.

Galinda had fallen in love with my sister the moment they officially met and immediately took her under her wing. Though a bit overwhelmed at first, I could tell that my sister was really enjoying herself.

As we all sat in the parlor, I watched, very amused, as Galinda played with my sister's hair, did her nails, and tried to put makeup on her face.

"Oh, relax, Elphie," she had said when I told her that Nessarose was only ten and probably too young for makeup. "We're just having a little fun."

Nessarose blushed and gave me a pleading smile. I sighed, but waved my hand for her to continue. The two of them chatted about girly-things and their common interests. The way things were going, I fully expected Nessarose to be turned into a mini-Galinda by the end of the following day.

"What do you think, Elphie?" the grand duchess asked when she finished giving my sister a makeover. "Doesn't Rosie look gorgeous?"

I looked at my sister. Her hair was in an elegant ponytail, held up by a ribbon. The only makeup on her face was some blush and lip gloss. Galinda had painted her nails and toes a very light pink.

"You look very pretty, Nessarose," I smiled.

"Thank you," she answered shyly.

I ignored the fact that Galinda gave my sister a nickname. The grand duchess was known for giving her friends nicknames. That was just what she did, and no one argued with her. I felt bad that I still didn't have a nickname for my sister. How close did we have to be before I gave her one?

"Your turn, Elphie!" the blonde gushed as she reached for my hands.

I shook my head. "I'll have enough people dancing around me tomorrow."

"At least let me do your nails."

I frowned. "You are _not_ going to paint my nails _pink_."

She was silent for a moment. "Shall I paint your nails green, then?"

I groaned and Nessarose giggled.

"Fine. I think I have a sparkly clear polish in here somewhere." She dug through her bag and pulled out a bottle of clear nail polish. "Give me your hand."

I knew I should quit while I was ahead, so I gave in and held out my hand. Galinda immediately went to work doing my nails while Nessarose brushed my hair.

Once we were done, Galinda rang for a maid and asked her to bring up a bowl of ground oats, some honey, and plain yogurt.

"But… we just ate," Nessarose said, sounding very confused.

"I know, Rosie. These are for facials."

I furrowed my eyebrows. "What?"

"It's a recipe for soothing facials. They work wonders. And we need to relax before tomorrow, especially you, Elphie."

The maid soon returned with the requested supplies and Galinda immediately went to work making the mixture. Once it was done, she gently smeared it all over Nessarose's face and mine before doing her own.

"Now we leave it on for fifteen minutes."

To me, the fifteen minutes seemed longer than expected. Nessarose was worried when her mask hardened and began to flake off, but Galinda said that it was normal and everything was fine. Once we washed it off, I had to admit that my face felt a bit better and more moisturized.

"You're welcome," Galinda said as we bid each other goodnight.

"Thank you, Galinda," I said, fighting a playful eye roll. I gave my sister a light hug and watched as Nanny pushed her away to help her prepare for bed.

I quickly prepared for bed, but even though I was exhausted (mostly from spending time with Galinda), I couldn't fall asleep. I kept staring at the empty side of the bed. Starting the next day, I would no longer be sleeping alone. I would have someone to share this large house with.

* * *

The next morning, while I was expecting Nanny to wake me up, I wasn't surprised when I opened my eyes to Galinda standing over me.

"Good morning, bride-to-be," the blonde gushed as I yawned.

"Morning," I hummed as I pushed myself up. "Is Nessarose awake yet?"

"I think one of the maids went to wake her. We don't have a lot of time before the wedding."

I looked at the clock. It was seven-thirty, and the wedding wasn't until eleven. I was going to say that I had plenty of time, but I didn't want to alarm Galinda, so I simply nodded and got up.

I met Nessarose downstairs in the dining hall for breakfast. We didn't eat much, since I wasn't very hungry. I only finished my plate of fruit because Galinda told me that I wouldn't eat until after the wedding.

Just as I suspected, as soon as I finished breakfast, I was whisked away to get ready. After a very nice, long bubble bath, I went into my room and found Nessarose already in her light purple flower girl dress with short sleeves, a ruffled skirt that stopped just below her knees with flower lace designs. She wasn't wearing her jeweled shoes, but ballet flats that matched her dress. She was also wearing her leg braces, but Father told me that if she didn't want to wear them for the wedding, she had to wear them the entire morning. I could tell that my sister wasn't too thrilled with that arrangement, but suffered through it if it meant she wouldn't have to wear them for the actual wedding ceremony.

She smiled at me in the mirror as a maid did her hair. Nanny immediately went to work on me, helping me into my slip. I put my robe back on and Nanny braided the front sections of my hair into a crown braid, and curled the back sections, allowing them to fall free. She also did my makeup, which consisted only of a bit of purple eyeshadow, peach blush, and shiny lip-gloss.

Once that was complete, Nanny carefully helped me slip into my wedding dress and I looked in the mirror. The white dress was strapless, but the overlay, see-through sleeves went down to my wrists. The bodice was beaded with tiny diamonds and the skirt flowed out from my waist. The dress swept the floor and I knew I would have to hold it up to walk.

"You look beautiful, Elphaba."

I looked over at Nessarose, whose hair was softly curled and adorned with a golden, sparkly headband. "Thank you, Nessarose. You look very beautiful, too."

"Not as beautiful as you."

I smiled at her. Galinda came in, dressed in her peach, off-the-shoulder maid of honor gown. She complimented me and I her, and she helped me with my veil. The veil clipped into my crown braid and Galinda fixed it over my face.

"Your Eminence," a maid said as she curtsied in the open doorway. "The carriages are ready."

"Thank you," I nodded and looked at my reflection once more. "This is it."

"You're ready," the grand duchess smiled at me as she handed me my white gloves. "And no crying! You'll ruin your mascara!"

"I'm not even wearing mascara," I said, but that didn't stop my tears. I reached under my veil to wipe my eyes before putting on my gloves.

"You look beautiful, Miss Elphaba," Nanny beamed.

I beamed back. "Thank you, Nanny."

"Oh, wait! I just remembered something!" Nessarose exclaimed as she hurriedly wheeled over to her bag. She reached in and pulled out a small box before handing it to me. "Father wanted you to have this. He said it belonged to your mother."

I took the box and opened it. Gasping, I gingerly took out a necklace with a heart-shaped diamond gem.

"It's beautiful," Galinda beamed as she helped me put it on.

I lightly touched the jewel. This had belonged to my mother. I wondered what else he had of hers.

"Thank you, Nessarose," I said, kneeling down to give my sister a light hug.

The three of us made our way down the stairs to the waiting carriages. The footman helped Nessarose into the carriage with Galinda and they drove off. The footman then assisted me into my carriage and it pulled away from the palace.

A crowd had gathered and lined the streets to see me pass by in my wedding attire. I didn't think I would ever get used to that. If not for my high status, I'm sure most people would have been horrified, or even repulsed, by me (due to my skin). I assumed some of the people in the crowd were Vinkuns, since I was marrying their youngest prince.

I put on a bright smile and waved happily, trying to show everyone that I was a happy bride. And I was, but I was also very nervous. Everything had to be perfect. As much as I wanted to focus on marrying Fiyero for who he was as a person, I also had to think of this as the joining together of two countries. It was the downside of being a ruler marrying another potential ruler.

When I reached the chapel, Galinda came out and handed me my bouquet and helped me with my dress. I gave everyone one final wave before going into the chapel. When I got inside the chapel, I saw my sister talking to the two nine-year-old page boys, both of them Fiyero's cousins. A basket full of rose petals sat in her lap. One of Fiyero's cousins carried a white, satin pillow with rings on it, and I assumed the other one was going to push Nessarose down the aisle.

Father was standing behind Nessarose's chair, keeping a watchful eye and ear on the conversation, but smiled when he saw me.

"Fabala," he whispered as he approached me. He gently took my hand and gave me a hug. "You look beautiful. I'm so happy for you."

"Thank you, Father," I smiled.

He gently pulled away and saw the necklace. "Your mother would be so happy, too. You… you look so much like her."

"I do?"

My father nodded. "She had a similar hairstyle, and even though her dress wasn't as intricate, she was still very beautiful."

I thought about the question that was nagging at me for a while. "Father, did you know that Mama had an older sister named Sophelia?"

He thought for a moment, then shook his head. "If she did, I don't know anything about that."

I was going to ask another question, but then the procession music started. Everyone got into their positions and began to walk down the long aisle. Galinda walked down first, followed by the ring bearer page boy. Once he was halfway down, the other page boy began to push my sister down the aisle and she sprinkled the rose petals onto the floor.

"Are you ready?" Father asked me as he offered me his right arm.

"Yes," I nodded, taking his arm as everyone stood and turned to watch me walk down the aisle.

Even though I knew the chapel was filled with people, I don't remember seeing anyone accept Fiyero. He was facing the crowd, not taking his eyes off of me as I slowly approached him. He wore a very decorated white uniform and white gloves and a golden sash. He smiled at me and I smiled back.

As he unveiled me, I could see that he was trying so hard to either not cry or keep his jaw from falling open. Either way, it was amusing to see. I blushed, causing him to try and stifle a chuckle.

I really wasn't paying attention during the whole religious part of the ceremony, but I clearly remember exchanging vows with Fiyero. I remember him slipping the ring onto my fingers and me doing the same for him. I remember our first kiss as husband and wife. If all of our previous kisses were sparks, then that one was a fireworks show.

We walked back down the aisle to an upbeat march. As we exited the church, we were announced as, "Her Eminence, Elphaba Melena Thropp, and His Eminent-Consort, Prince Fiyero Liir Tigulaar-Thropp."

"I didn't realize how long my new title would be," Fiyero whispered to me, and I laughed.

The people cheered and waved Vinkun and Munchkin flags alike. I smiled as we waved to our people. With Galinda helping me with my dress, I walked with Fiyero to the carriage. We had a small reception at the Nerva Hotel, the hotel where the visiting dignitaries and guest had stayed for the wedding, before heading home.

I didn't let go of Fiyero's hand as we rode to the hotel. I knew that this was just the start of something new.

* * *

 **YAY! Fiyeraba wedding! But we're not done just yet. *Cackle***


	13. I Am A Wife

**Grapesoda77: Of course we're not finished yet! We still have some more chapters (and hurdles) to go. And the facial mask recipe is a real recipe. I haven't tried it personally, but I looked it up and judging by the reviews, it seems to work.**

* * *

I woke up the next morning with a big smile on my face. I looked over at my husband's sleeping form and gently snuggled closer to him. He slowly opened his eyes and smiled.

"Hi," I whispered, playing with his fingers.

"Hi," he whispered back, then looked thoughtful.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Just that… when we're old, and surrounded by our children, we'll remember this as the day our lives began."

"Not _too_ surrounded, please," I said, then sighed peacefully as I gently planted a kiss on his lips. "And not too soon."

"Well, I should warn you that I'm expecting a rather large family."

I laughed and laid my head against his chest.

"Good morning, Fae," I heard him whisper as I listened to his heartbeat.

The nickname had come up the previous night as we… sealed our love. Though I was curious as to where it had come from, I didn't question it. In fact, I liked it. "Good morning, Yero," I whispered back.

We stayed in bed for a few more moments. I really enjoyed the feeling of being in his arms. I was enjoying it so much that I didn't want to leave, even when I knew I had to get up and get to work.

"We should take a little vacation and visit Quox. I hear it's beautiful this time of year," Fiyero said as he helped me put on my stockings.

"Yes, we should one day," I hummed, running my hand through my hair.

He looked up at me. "No, I mean, straightaway. Right now."

My eyebrow shot up. "Now?"

"Yes. Only for a few weeks. No one could expect you back before then. You're newly married."

I chuckled. "Yero, I may be newly married, but I'm also the Eminent. I can't be away for more than three days at most."

Fiyero blinked at me before removing my stockings.

"What are you doing?"

"Well… if we've only got three days…" he said, tossing the article of clothing aside.

I laughed much louder than I meant to and we kissed again. I could never get tired of the feeling of Fiyero's lips against mine.

We ate breakfast together. I tried to keep my blushing down to a minimal in front of the staff, but judging by the looks Fiyero gave me, I wasn't doing a very good job.

"I will see you at tea break," I said, giving Fiyero a quick kiss on the cheek after eating.

He nodded and I left him to go to my office. As I worked, I couldn't help but think about what Fiyero was doing. From my office, I saw him stroll through the gardens and strike up conversations with the staff.

We had tea together in the parlor. We didn't snuggle, since I was technically still working. Fiyero said he was going back into the gardens and I nodded as I went back to my office.

I was in the middle of a letter when lunch was served. I distractedly told the maid to bring it into my office, since I didn't want to take a break mid-letter. By the time I finished, I had a warm bowl of soup waiting for me. I thought about searching for Fiyero, but decided against it. I really had to concentrate on getting my work done, and having my husband in there would have distracted me.

I didn't see him again for the rest of the day. I had advisors going in and out of my office and I was kept busy by reading and signing documents. Once I finally finished working at six o'clock, I asked a maid where Fiyero was.

"In the library, Your Eminence," she answered with a curtsy.

I nodded my thanks and went to the library. I slipped through the ajar doors and saw him running his fingers along a shelf, searching for a book. I hurriedly approached him and wrapped my arms around him. I felt him kiss my forehead and I let out a slow breath.

"We will take care of each other, won't we?" I whispered, slowly closing my eyes.

"Always."

I hummed and we walked out of the library together, hand-in-hand. After dinner, we sat together in the parlor for a bit before getting ready for bed.

When Fiyero came into the room, dressed in his pajamas, I was writing a letter to Nessarose.

"What are you writing?" he asked, crawling into bed.

"Just a letter to my sister," I said, closing my notebook and placing it on my nightstand before snuggling into my husband's arms. "I have a surprise for you."

"Really?" Fiyero asked, drawing little patterns on my stomach. "What is it?"

"We have tickets to see Darian Flyiano's opera, _The Raven Torr_ , tomorrow night."

"Really?" he asked, perking up a bit.

I nodded. "Are you available?"

He chuckled. "Of course I am."

The next evening, we both dressed up and went to the theatre. As we traveled, my mind flashed back to the day I first met Fiyero.

 _"I don't mind Flyiano."_

I had to admit that I wasn't the biggest Flyiano fan, but Fiyero liked his work. And the opera was very good.

I honestly don't remember changing into my nightgown that night, but I do remember waking up in the early hours of the morning to find myself in my nightgown and Fiyero in only pajama pants. I laid my hand against his chest, my fingers running over his tiny, curly chest hairs. He let out a soft snore and I bit my lip to stop myself from laughing and waking him.

"Could we take a trip to the Emerald City?" Fiyero asked me over tea later that day.

I looked up at him.

"I know you're the Eminent, but does that mean you must be deprived of a proper honeymoon?"

I smiled. "A long weekend in the Emerald City does sound nice."

I let the staff know that I would be taking my honeymoon that Friday morning and would return Sunday evening. As I packed Thursday evening, Fiyero forbade me from bringing any work along.

"Just for this weekend, you are not the Eminent Thropp," he told me, collecting me into his arms. "You are simply my wife, and I am simply your husband. No titles and no duties."

I don't remember how he managed to convince me, but he did. As soon as the carriage pulled away from the palace the next morning, I left my Eminent Thropp persona behind as we traveled down the Yellow Brick Road. When we got to the Emerald City after the three-hour ride, I felt exhausted and energized at the same time.

We checked into our hotel and went sightseeing. I was mostly interested in the museums and bookstores, while Fiyero loved the park and street performers. Everything was so… green, and I felt right at home.

"I've never seen a street performance before," I said, standing next to my husband as we watched a man play the guitar as a young girl danced.

"There are a lot of street performers in the Vinkus. In the Upper Kells, there were so many performers that they had to be assigned streets by the local government."

"It is considered a valid profession?"

"In the Upper Kells, yes. You have to apply in order to perform there. As well as in the village near Kiamo Ko Castle," he answered, tossing a few coins into the guitar case. "But in some of the poorer towns, people just do it for extra money."

I wondered if street performances were a common thing in the poorer cities of Munchkinland.

Overall, honeymooning in the Emerald City had been a wonderful idea. I couldn't remember the last time I had felt this relaxed. There were no papers to sign, no officials to impress, and no meetings to organize. It was just Fiyero and me. And I enjoyed every second of it.

Fiyero slept the entire carriage ride back to Colwen Grounds. And I couldn't blame him. Three days of sightseeing would have tired anyone out. He had asked me how I survived my two-week tour of Munchkinland, and I had answered that I had such a tight schedule, I didn't have time to be tired, or even _think_ about how tired I should have been.

"Yero, we must decide when to send for the painter for our official portrait," I said once we were back in our own bed.

"We need one?" he asked sleepily.

I chuckled. "Yes, dearest."

"Well, I'm not the one with a packed schedule, so whatever time you decide is fine with me."

"I was thinking Saturday."

Fiyero hummed in agreement.

"How many portraits have you sat for?" I knew he would have had to sit for one, being the prince of the Vinkus and all.

"If you don't count the one when I was born, then only one. One was when my sister turned twenty-one and it was of her, my brother, and me. What about you?"

"Just one. I had just turned four and I'm with Great-grandfather. It's in the portrait gallery if you want to look at it."

"Wait… you were four and standing still for a portrait? When I was four, I didn't even want to stand still so my father could measure my height."

I smiled softly. "I had a different upbringing than most people. I was trained to ask like a little adult and started attending banquets and functions with my great-grandfather when I was five."

"When I was five, my mother still had to tie my shoes."

I chuckled. "Nanny was still tying my shoes until I was eight."

Fiyero looked at me, but didn't comment. Pretty soon, he was asleep and it didn't take me very long to join him.

* * *

"Are you almost ready, Fae?"

I came into the room, wearing a light brown dress with golden trimmings. My hair was out in soft curls. I looked at my husband, wearing a dark green suit with a lighter green shirt. "I am. Are you?"

"I am… but do you plan on being painted barefoot?"

I chuckled as I slipped on my black flats. "I would advise you to wear comfortable shoes. You're going to be standing for a while."

"And you won't be?"

"I'm the ruler. I get to sit."

Fiyero made a face and I laughed as I kissed him. "You'll be fine. Master Huivani is very quick. Once he gets the outline and basic colors, we're pretty much done."

"So… this won't be too painful."

I shook my head. "No."

We made our way downstairs, where Master Huivani was already set up.

"Your Eminence," he bowed to me. "It is an honor to see you again."

"You as well, Master Huivani," I nodded and he greeted Fiyero.

"Where would you like to sit for the painting?"

"I like the window," I answered, and he moved the chair in front of the window.

I gently took Fiyero's hand and walked with him over to the chair. I sat down and he stood next to me.

Master Huivani directed me on how to cross my ankles and hold my head and where he wanted us to look. I felt Fiyero place his hand on my shoulder without being directed to do so. I glanced over at him and he smiled at me. Master Huivani said it was perfect and I didn't argue.

I smiled a bit for the painting. I didn't want this to be like all the other paintings of the stone-faced Eminent Thropps. I wanted to appear nice, while also looking serious. I wasn't grinning, but my lips were slightly curled. Also, I knew I wasn't going to be able to keep a straight face with Fiyero's hand on my shoulder, so a light smile was the best remedy for that.

We were sitting for a better part of the afternoon before Master Huivani declared that he had enough of an outline for him to finish the painting outside.

"Thank Oz," Fiyero muttered as he wrinkled his nose. "I have to go to the bathroom."

I snickered and he glared at me before thanking Master Huivani and hurrying out of the parlor. I also thanked the master painter before going upstairs to lie down. Sitting in that chair for such a long period of time wasn't the most comfortable thing in Oz.

* * *

"I don't believe it!"

Fiyero looked up at me, surprised that I had crumbled up a newspaper and threw it across the room. "What is it?"

"The papers are already talking about when I'll become pregnant."

I could tell Fiyero was trying not to look amused, but he was failing.

"We've only been married for four months."

"You don't want to have children?"

I turned to face him. "Of course I do. Just… not yet." I wrapped my arms around his neck. "I still feel like we just got married. I'm not ready to share you yet."

"We have time, Fae."

"I'm eighteen and you're twenty. It's not like time would be running out anytime soon."

He kissed my forehead. "You're right. And I will withhold my wish for a large family until you're ready."

I knew he was only trying to make me feel better, so I relaxed into his embrace.


	14. I Feel Just Fine

As the years went on, I oversaw the slow improvement of Munchkinland. Things still weren't happening as quickly as I liked, but as I grew into my role, people began to take me more seriously. Of course there were bumps in the road, more bumps than I was expecting, but I slowly overcame them. Fiyero proved himself most useful in helping me. I really looked to him for advice and he always had beneficial things to say.

A month after my twenty-first birthday, I found out news that rocked my entire world. But I didn't tell Fiyero right away. I waited another two months before I told him.

"Are you sure, Fae?" Fiyero asked me when I told him the news after preparing for bed.

I nodded wordlessly, pulling my nightgown tighter against my stomach, revealing a small baby bump.

He slowly approached me and leveled his head with my stomach. I couldn't help but chuckle softly as he pressed a gentle kiss against the baby bump. Tears formed in my eyes and I wiped them away, choosing to blame the hormones.

"We're going to be parents?" he whispered as he stood up.

"We are," I whispered back.

It was his turn to chuckle and he softly kissed me. "How far along are you?"

"Three months. I was just cleared by the doctor. I wanted to wait until my first trimester was over."

Fiyero hugged me gently and I hugged him back. We were going to be parents. I had a loving husband and I would become a mother in six months. For the first time, I felt like I had a normal life.

The following morning, we called the entire staff together in the dining hall to announce the news. As expected, they were very excited and offered their congratulations.

"I fully intend to keep all of my obligations," I said, running a brush through my hair. "I haven't had any of the normal pregnancy symptoms… yet. No morning sickness or weird cravings."

"You _did_ ask for ketchup on your pasta," Fiyero pointed out.

I looked at him in the mirror. "How do you know that's not a Munchkin thing?"

"Is it?"

"… No."

Fiyero laughed, then sobered. "I just want you to take it easy. Try not to stress yourself out too much."

I was going to say that the first job of the Eminent Thropp is to always be stressed, but I simply nodded. "Okay, Yero."

I feel that I might have jinxed myself, because the next morning, I couldn't stop throwing up. My stomach, for some reason, felt the need to forcibly eject the previous night's dinner.

Fiyero held my hair up and rubbed my back as I hung over the toilet. I felt miserable. I wanted to go back to bed, but then I remembered all of the things on my To-Do List.

"I'll take care of it, Fae," Fiyero said as he helped me to my feet.

"No, Yero –"

"No. You go rest," he said, escorting me back to the room.

"I feel better now."

"If you feel better tomorrow, you can come back to work."

I frowned. I didn't appreciate being told what to do, but deep down, I knew he was right. I felt lightheaded and exhausted and was in no position to try and work. "Okay."

He kissed my forehead and helped me lay back down. I was fast asleep within a few minutes. I woke up feeling slightly better, but my throat was very sore and scratchy. I slid out of bed and twirled my robe around my shoulders before slowly making my way down to the kitchen.

"Oh, Your Eminence," a member of the kitchen staff bowed when he saw me. "Are you feeling better?"

I gave him a half-shrug and nodded at the pitcher of lemon water. He understood what I wanted and poured me a glass. I nodded my thanks as I walked out, sipping the glass. I went to my office, thinking that Fiyero was there. He was sitting at the table by the window, reading documents and taking notes. I knocked on the door, smiling as he jumped in surprise.

"Hey," he smiled at me. "How are you feeling?"

"Better," I said softly, then coughed and took a sip of the water.

"Are you hungry?"

"Yes, but I don't think I could keep anything down."

"How about some soup broth?"

I thought for a moment. I should be able to keep the broth down. I hummed and Fiyero rang for the maid.

"If you feel like working, there are some documents on your desk needing your signature."

I smiled and walked over to my desk. I was well-aware that I was still in my nightgown and robe, but I supposed I could still sign some papers.

"Your Eminence," a footman bowed in the doorway. "The Prime Minister of Quox is here to see you."

I looked up in surprise. I checked my date book and realized that I did have a meeting. I looked down and realized I wasn't exactly wearing 'meeting' clothing. "Oh."

"What shall I tell him?" the footman asked.

"I could talk to him, Fae," Fiyero volunteered.

"I'll get dressed quickly," I said, rising to my feet. I looked at my husband. "Please entertain him until I get back."

Fiyero nodded and I hurried up to my room. I washed very quickly and threw on a dark blue dress and ran my fingers through my hair before pulling it back into a bun. Once I deemed myself presentable, I walked downstairs to meet with the Prime Minister. When I got there, he looked like he was ready to leave.

"Your Eminence," he bowed.

"Prime Minister," I nodded. "Follow me, please."

"Actually, Eminency, I do not require this meeting with you anymore."

I blinked. "Excuse me?"

"His Highness has given me great advice and I –"

"You were discussing our meeting topics?" I demanded, glaring at my husband.

Fiyero looked over at me. "You… you were taking a while and I didn't know if you felt sick or –"

"I do apologize, Your Eminence. We thought that since you were unwell –"

"I am perfectly fine," I all but growled. I belatedly remembered that I had to keep my composure and took a deep breath. "Is there nothing else we should discuss?"

"No. Prince Fiyero has helped me."

"Very well. Good day, Prime Minister," I nodded and left as quickly as I could.

I could hear Fiyero's footsteps behind me, but I ignored him as I went back to our bedroom and slammed the door behind me.

"Fae?" Fiyero asked as he slowly opened the door and peaked his head inside.

I ignored him.

"Fae, I'm sorry. I really am. I was just trying to help you," he said as he approached me and gently wrapped his arms around my waist.

"I don't need your help!" I cried as I pushed him away. "I can still carry out my own duties!"

"I know, Fae," he said calmly, and I began to feel bad for snapping at him. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you."

I deflated. "I know." I bridged the gap between us and gave him a light hug. "I know you're just trying to help."

* * *

I looked over the menu for the dinner party with a sigh. Most of the foods I couldn't even eat, and it was too late to change everything. It's not that they were on my list of banned-foods, but they were foods I knew I wouldn't be able to keep down, or that sounded appetizing when I first made the list, but not anymore.

The news that I was pregnant was now common knowledge in Munchkinland, as well as the rest of Oz. I received letters of congratulations from Nessarose, Father, and a very long one from Galinda. I also received more official letters, but I let Fiyero open those. It meant that I didn't have to try and hide anything from anyone, especially the officials coming for the dinner.

As Nanny helped me into my evening dress, I critically looked at my reflection in the mirror. "I want a different dress, Nanny."

The older woman looked at me. "Why? This one looks very pretty on you."

"This one makes me look fat."

I could tell she wanted to protest, but instead, she hurried over to my closet to select another dress. I said no to everything she pulled out for me and could tell she was trying not to get frustrated.

"What about the silver gown?"

I shook my head as I sat down on my bed. I buried my face in my hands and let out a very unladylike noise.

"You must make a decision soon, Miss Elphaba. The guests will be here soon."

I looked up. "The… silver gown."

Nanny smiled and helped me into the dress. "You look beautiful."

"I look fat."

"You look _pregnant_ , which is nothing to be ashamed of."

I smiled at her. "I admire your patience, Nanny."

The older woman chuckled and Fiyero came in. "Wow," he smiled. "You look beautiful, Fae."

I smiled at my husband in his white shirt and dark blue suit. "Thank you, Yero."

"Shall we?"

I nodded and took the arm he offered to me as we walked to the dining hall together.

The meal was very lively. I really did try to eat, but I didn't want to have to excuse myself to get rid of it. Although I enjoyed the dinner, it was getting a little too political for my liking.

The officials all wanted to know my stand on different issues, and while I answered them to the best of my ability, I was getting very tired. I just wanted to talk about something else, _anything_ else, other than politics.

Fiyero seemed to sense my stress, because he would constantly try to change the subject. When one of the officials started talking about their children, the subject immediately shifted to my pregnancy.

"I don't even know if I'll be able to eat breakfast tomorrow morning," I confessed to Fiyero that night. "And they asked if I have names picked out yet."

"Well… do you?" he asked me.

"Of course not! Why would I? I'm barely even showing!"

Fiyero was silent and I didn't know if I had hurt his feelings by snapping at him.

"But I do know one thing."

"What's that?"

I took a breath. "I… I don't want my child to have the same type of upbringing I did. I want him or her to feel loved. I want our child to be able to feel like they can come to us with their problems; that we're not carelessly pushing them away, off to the side."

"You… you felt like that growing up?" Fiyero asked.

I realized that I had never given him the rundown of how I was raised. "I just… I want things to be different."

"They will be, Fae," he promised me.

* * *

 **Another short-ish chapter. Sorry, y'all. But more things are brewing for the Fiyeraba.**


	15. I Take Responsibility

One of the worst parts about being the Eminent is that I had to sign the death certificates. I mean, it was the easiest because all I had to do was sign the papers without reading them, but it always hurt me that there were always so many.

And being six months pregnant only made signing death certificates even worse. When you're about to bring a new life into the world, the last thing you want to focus on is death.

But it was one of my duties that I had to fulfill, so I did my best to keep the complaining to a minimal. I was trying to keep up with my work, but the heartburn, soreness, and nosebleeds made it difficult. My blood pressure seemed to be fluctuating all over the place. Fiyero helped me as much as he could, and I tried not to get aggravated with him, but I wished he understood that _I_ understood my own limitations.

It was the end of November, and even though it was beginning to get cold, I was, for some reason, always hot. I knew it drove Fiyero crazy to have the window open in our bedroom at night, but he got some compensation for it because he got to hog most of the covers.

My pregnancy symptoms usually lasted throughout the morning, so I would go to my office around lunchtime. I found that I could still be very productive, even during my half-days.

"Fae?" Fiyero asked as he organized the papers on my desk.

"Hmm?" I asked from where I was laying down on the sofa with a cool cloth on my forehead.

"You didn't sign this death certificate."

"That must have been in the second pile of certificates I didn't get to yet. I'll get to them tomorrow."

Fiyero was silent and I looked over at him. He seemed to be struggling to tell me something, but couldn't find the words.

"What is it, Yero?"

"I think you should read this one now."

I removed the cloth from my forehead and sat up, pushing myself to my feet. Fiyero handed me the paper and I took it from him. As soon as I saw the name, my heart leaped into my throat.

 _Frexspar Trism Warwiken_

No. Not Father. What happened?

 _Cause of death: sudden cardiac arrest_

"I'm so sorry, Fae," Fiyero whispered, placing a hand on my shoulder.

I closed my eyes against the tears. I handed the paper back to him and walked out of the office.

"Where are you going?"

"He died two days ago and I haven't heard anything from or about Nessarose. Ernst!"

The errand boy hurried in. "Your Eminence?" he bowed.

"I need a message delivered to Rush Margins. I need to know where my sister is."

"Of course, ma'am," he bowed again and disappeared.

"Are you alright?" I heard Fiyero asked from behind me.

I turned to face him. "I… don't know. I mean… I wasn't particularly close to my father. I barely saw him. But I did love him. But Nessarose…" I felt tears running down my cheek and wiped them away. Fiyero tried to hug me, but I gently pulled away. I didn't want to be hugged at the moment. He sensed this and simply settled for holding my hand, which I appreciated.

The next morning, Ernst informed me that Nessarose was staying at her neighbor's house and that my father's funeral was scheduled for the next day. I worked through the morning, and after lunch, I told Fiyero that I was going to Rush Margins to see my sister.

"Do you want me to come with you?" he asked as a maid helped me with my coat.

"No, I need to do this alone," I said, putting on my hat and gloves.

He nodded and kissed my cheek. "Be careful."

"I will."

The carriage ride from Colwen Grounds to Rush Margins wasn't very long, but it felt endless to me. What was I going to say to Nessarose? Would she even want to talk? Was she there when it happened? And if she wasn't, how did she find out? The guard I was being escorted by looked like he wanted to say something, but didn't, and I didn't know how to take that.

Finally, I reached the house where she was staying. The driver helped me out and I walked as quickly as I could to the front door. I knocked and a few moments later, a young woman opened the door.

"Your Eminence," she gasped, then curtsied, her eyes resting on my guard.

"Hello," I nodded. "Is Nessarose Warwiken here?"

"Y-Yes," the woman stammered, then stepped aside to let my escort and me in. "Nessa! Nessa, honey?"

"Yes, Mrs. Wiltz?" I heard my sister call, then saw her wheel into the room. She gasped softly, looking at me with wide eyes. "Elphaba."

I immediately went over to her and knelt down to give her a hug. She immediately wrapped her arms around me, burying her face in my coat.

"Are you alright?" I asked, gently running my fingers through her hair.

I felt her nod against my shoulder. I gently pulled away to look at her. She tried to smile, but I could clearly see her heart wasn't in it.

"I've missed you," I whispered.

It had been a while since I saw Nessarose, but we had maintained our regular correspondence via letters. She had cut her hair so it just reached her shoulders. She had some new "developments", but that was to be expected, since she was fourteen years old, after all.

"I've missed you, too," she said, brushing her hair away from her face. "What are you doing here? How did you find me?"

"I'm the Eminent," I said with a small smile. "I have ways of figuring things out."

Nessarose chuckled despite herself.

"I found out about Father's death when his death certificate appeared on my desk. Do you… want to tell me what happened? Or at least as much as you know?"

My sister looked down at her lap, and for a moment, I wasn't sure she was going to tell me. "I was in school when it happened. I had just finished my history test when… when the principal called me into his office. He said that my father was out in the market when he just… suddenly collapsed. By the time he got to the hospital… he was already gone."

Nessarose was sobbing quietly and I immediately felt bad for asking. "I'm so sorry, Nessarose," I said, pulling her into another hug.

"I didn't get to say goodbye," she sobbed against my shoulder. "I went to school thinking that I was going to see him at the end of the day and…"

"I know," I whispered comfortingly. There wasn't much else I could say, so I just held her in my arms and let her cry on my shoulder.

Soon, she stopped crying and pulled away. "Sorry," she whispered, wiping her cheeks.

"You have nothing to apologize for. Do you need any help with anything? Funeral cost? Anything?"

Nessarose shook her head. "Father had money saved, thank the Unnamed God. It covered most of the costs, and Mrs. Wiltz has been very kind in helping with the rest."

I looked up and saw Mrs. Wiltz standing in the doorway that led to the kitchen. "I will reimburse you for the costs."

"That won't be necessary, Your Eminence," she said quickly, but I held up my hand.

"Please."

She looked like she wanted to protest more, but simply nodded. "Thank you, ma'am."

I nodded and slowly rose to my feet.

"How are you?" Nessarose asked me. "I mean… with the… um… you know…"

I chuckled as I placed my hand on my stomach. "I'm fine. We both are."

"That's good. How far along are you?"

"Six months."

She nodded, and we were both silent for a moment.

"Would you like to come live in the palace with me?" I blurted out.

My sister blinked up at me. "What?"

"Would you like to come live in the palace with me?" I repeated, more calmly and collectively.

"I… I… you want me to live with you… in the Grand Eminence Palace… in Colwen Grounds?"

"If you want."

"This is all just very sudden. Then again… this whole situation is very sudden. I grew up here. My whole life is here. Everything that I've known and –"

"Nessarose, I understand if you don't want to. I was just suggesting that –"

"No," she said quickly. "I mean… I know, but… you're the only family I have left. Well, half-family, but it doesn't make a difference now." She looked over at Mrs. Wiltz, who nodded encouragingly. She looked back at me and smiled softly. "Yes. I would like to come live with you."

I smiled and nodded. "Would it be okay to send a carriage after the funeral tomorrow to collect you and your things?"

"You won't be at the funeral tomorrow?" Nessarose asked, sounding slightly panicked.

"Of course I will be, but I'll have to return to the palace afterward."

"Oh. Then yes, that's fine."

I heard hurried footsteps and adjusted my gaze just in time to see a teenage boy around Nessarose's age hurry down the stairs. "Mom, have you seen my –" He immediately stopped short when he saw me, his entire face turning red.

"Boq!" Mrs. Wiltz gasped.

"Um… I… hi… I mean… hello, Your Eminence," the Munchkin boy stuttered, then quickly bowed.

"Elphaba, this is Boq," my sister introduced us, blushing. "Boq, this is my sister."

"Hello, Boq," I smiled. "Nessarose has told me so much about you."

"Uh… she has?" he asked nervously, looking at the guard.

I couldn't help the light laughter that came from my throat. "All good things, of course." I was about to add that my sister had quite the crush on the Munchkin, but judging by the heavy blush on her face, she probably didn't want me to reveal that little piece of information. "I have to go back now, Nessarose," I said, and she looked a bit crestfallen. "But I'll see you tomorrow."

"Okay." She looked up at Mrs. Wiltz. "Can we go back to my house and pack now?"

"Sure, sweetie," the older woman smiled. "Boq, get your coat. And Nessa's, too."

"Where are we going?" Boq asked.

"We're going back to her house to pack."

"Pack? Why?"

"Don't ask so many questions."

I gave my sister a light hug and went back out to my carriage. I felt slightly better going back to Colwen Grounds. My sister was going to come live with me. I really missed her and, despite everything, I was glad she was coming to live with me.

"Where is Fiyero?" I asked a servant when I came in.

"In the drawing room, Your Eminence," the servant bowed.

I nodded as I gave my coat, hat, and gloves to the maid. I went to the drawing room and slowly pushed the door open.

Fiyero was sitting on the on the sofa, a newspaper on his chest as he slept. Little snores escaped his lips and I chuckled softly as I closed the door behind me. I tiptoed over to him and slowly sat down, snuggling closer to him.

He inhaled deeply and slowly opened his eyes. "Hey," he whispered, yawning.

"Hi," I whispered back.

"How was Nessarose?"

"Fine, despite everything. From what I saw, she's holding up very well." I paused for a moment before adding. "She's coming here tomorrow."

"For another visit?"

"No… I mean, to live here."

I felt Fiyero stiffen. "What?"

"I've invited her to come live with us. There's more than enough room here."

"Fae… are you sure that's such a good idea?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean… you think that you won't be too stressed with the baby on the way and your other responsibilities… as well as Nessarose being here?"

"I'm all she has left, Fiyero," I said, looking up at him. "She's my last blood family. And I'll be fine with her and the baby here."

"Okay," Fiyero said, but I could tell he wasn't completely convinced.

I knew that he knew he had very little say about who came to live here. After all, this was _my_ house. I knew his real concern was for me.

My father's funeral was very similar to my great-grandfather's, except this one was less political. I could feel the genuine love and genuine everyone had for my father. At my great-grandfather's, everyone was there for political reasons. No one was there because they loved him. When I thought about that, I found it rather sad, but it also made me think.

Did I love him?

Of course I loved my father, but did I love my great-grandfather? Our relationship was very strained, but he must have loved me. He had to. I was his only family left.

I could tell that some of the people were wondering why I was there, but once the priest announced that I was his other daughter, their questions were put to rest. I could feel more bubbling, but I hoped they wouldn't ask me. Not here, not now.

When I returned to the palace, I knew I only had a few hours to get ready for Nessarose. I had informed the staff that I wanted one of the spare rooms on the ground floor turned into her bedroom. By the time I returned back, it was almost finished. Everything was in various shades of pink and white. She had a large bed with light pink comforters and pillows. Her vanity, dresser, and nightstand were darker shades of pink. Her rug and drapes were white. In other words, her room looked like what I imagined Galinda's room to be, though with a bit more pink.

I heard footsteps behind me and I turned, seeing Fiyero. "Do you think she'll like it?" I asked him.

My husband looked at me and smiled. "It's perfect. She'll love it."

That evening, Nessarose arrived with her things. The whole staff helped her move in.

"This is your room," I said, pushing her chair into her new room.

"Wow," she gasped as she looked around. "It's so… huge."

This wasn't one of the largest spare rooms we had on the ground floor, but it was still pretty big. "Do you like it?"

"I love it," she smiled as her things were brought in.

"You can rearrange anything if you want."

I watched as Nessarose placed things where she wanted them. She clearly wasn't used to having an entire staff do things for her and having them ask her what she wanted.

"Where do you want this, Miss Nessarose?" a maid asked, holding out a brown box.

"Actually, that's Elphaba's." She turned to look at me. "The box was labeled 'Melena's'. I think it was some more things he had of your mother's."

I gingerly took the box and opened it, finding more jewelry, a fancy fountain pen, and an envelope with my name on it. "Thank you, Nessarose. Are you almost finished?" I asked as I closed the box, making a mental note to read the letter later.

"I think so." She looked around her new room and smiled. "This is very nice. Thank you, all."

"Of course, Miss Nessarose," the staff bowed and curtsied before leaving.

That night, I went to check on my sister before bed.

"This bed is so big," she confessed softly, running her fingers against the comforter.

"Do you not like it?"

"I love it. It's just… I'll get used to it."

"Do you need anything else?"

My sister shook her head and I gave her a light hug. "Goodnight, Nessarose."

"Goodnight."

I turned to leave.

"Elphaba!" Nessarose called when I reached the door.

I turned. "Yes?"

"You can… call me 'Nessa'. Father… he… he called me 'Nessie', and you can, too… if you want."

I smiled, knowing exactly what she was trying to do and what she wanted me to do. I went back inside and gently took her hand. "Father called me 'Fabala'."


	16. I Can Handle It

**Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!**

* * *

 _My dearest Fabala,_

 _If you are reading this letter, this means that you have become the Eminent Thropp. It also means that I am not there to be there for you, and for that, I am so sorry. But I am so proud of you. You have done something that I could never do._

 _It's time I told you a little family secret. The truth is… I was never supposed to be the Eminent Thropp. And neither were you. I had an older sister named Sophelia. She was the best older sister in the entire world. She was supposed to be the Eminent Thropp._

 _She had fallen in love with someone that was… less than desirable as a husband for the future Eminent Thropp. In order to try and force our parents to let her marry him, she became pregnant, but the whole plan backfired and she had to run away. She was disowned by our family and no one spoke of her again. We used to be so close, but I never heard from her after that. After that, the future of being Eminent Thropp fell to me and my children. But I didn't want that life. I ran away and I married your father, but I wasn't disowned like my sister._

 _I want you to know that no matter what, I have full confidence that you will do a wonderful job. I am so proud of you and I love you with all my heart._

 _Your loving Mama_

My fingers traced my mother's neat, cursive handwriting. Father must have forgotten to give me this letter. Or he forgot where it was… or he didn't even know that Mama wrote me a letter. I smiled softly as I placed the letter aside and snuggled under the covers. I didn't know where Fiyero was. He was never late for bed. He still wasn't back by the time I went to sleep.

When I woke up the next morning, he wasn't there. I began to worry. Where was he? Was he alright? I pushed myself up and put on my robe to go look for him.

I walked past the parlor and saw that Nessa was already up. "Good morning, Nessa," I smiled, trying out the nickname.

She looked up and smiled. "Good morning, Fabala."

I sat down on the couch next to her. "Did you sleep well?"

"Well enough," she said, then covered her mouth to yawn.

"Good morning, ladies."

I looked up and saw Fiyero come in, dressed and ready for the day. Where was he the night before? "Good morning, Yero," I smiled.

"Your Highness," Nessa nodded.

"Fiyero," he corrected her. "You're family, Nessa."

"Fiyero," she repeated bashfully.

My husband smiled and gave me a quick kiss on the cheek. "Is the Wizard's representative still coming today?"

I nodded. "He should be here in around two hours."

"Will he be staying for lunch?"

"I suppose so." I looked at Nessa. "What do you want to do in terms of school? You're in your first year of high school, right?"

"Yes," my sister nodded.

"I could arrange a private tutor for you, or you could go to the school in the village."

"The village school," Nessa answered immediately.

"Alright. You can start there after the break. Do you want a private tutor until then?"

"Okay. I mean, I don't want to fall behind or anything."

I nodded and went to go get ready for the day. I was beginning to find that some of my dresses no longer fit because of my stomach, so I sent for some maternity clothes.

When I returned downstairs for breakfast, Nessa and Fiyero were already there. Fiyero and I talked, and even though Nessa was still terribly shy and quiet, she added a bit to our conversation.

My meeting with the Wizard's representative went very smoothly. He just wanted a report of Munchkinland's progress, the annual fund report, and the bill requests for the upcoming year. He seemed very impressed with everything I had to say… almost too impressed.

"I was thinking about something," Fiyero said to me as we prepared for bed that night.

"Yes?"

"Have you thought about hiring a private aid for Nessa?"

I glanced at him. "Why?"

"I was just thinking that the maids can't stop their regular duties to help her. It's not fair to them. She should have something whose sole job is to help her. Someone who knows how to care for someone in her situation."

I could tell that Fiyero really thought about that, and I did, too. And he was right. The maids and servants had enough work to do around the palace. I thought about asking Nanny to do it, but that would mean that she wouldn't be there for me anymore, and I didn't want that. Nanny was the closest thing I had to a mother and I wasn't going to let her leave me.

"That's a good idea," I said, resting my head on his chest.

"Sometimes I have good ideas," Fiyero chuckled.

"Yes, you do."

* * *

The next day, I spoke to Nessa about the idea of her having a private aid. Of course, she had never had one before, and wasn't quite sure about the idea.

"I mean, I'm not against it. At least, I don't think I am. It's just…" She trailed off.

I realized that I was really uprooting her life. It started as soon as she moved in. I really wanted her to feel at home here, but was I trying too hard? She was at the age where a complete lifestyle change probably wasn't the most ideal idea.

"You don't have to decide immediately, Nessa," I tried to reassure her.

"It wouldn't be fair for the maids to change their schedules around me," she said softly.

"Nessa –"

"Could I… think about it some more?"

I nodded. "Of course."

She gave me her answer that evening after dinner. She had decided to have one and I immediately sent out for applications.

I received a good number of applicants and after combing through the applications with a fine-tooth comb, I decided on a woman named Liah Ranton. She was thirty-seven year old, from Center Munch, and was a volunteer at a children's hospital for fifteen years. She wasn't the one with the most experience, but she was very kind and I just had a good feeling about her.

Once she accepted the position, I invited her over for tea and to meet my sister. Nessa was shy at first, but quickly opened up to Liah and the two immediately took a liking to each other.

I had the spare room down the hall from Nessa's turned into Liah's room. It wasn't as spacious as Nessa's, but it wasn't a closet. She had a decent sized bed, a nightstand, dresser, full-body mirror and a wardrobe. She had expressed her delight with the room, and I had a feeling that her previous room had been smaller.

My old tutor came back when I requested him to teach Nessa until the new semester started. When he arrived, I could tell that he had mixed feelings about coming back, but I knew he would like Nessa more than me.

Even though the Feast of Plenty was a few weeks away, once December came, everyone was in full holiday mode. It would be Fiyero's first feast ever and Nessa's first one in the palace, so I had to make sure this was very special.

The weeklong celebration was wonderful. Everyone, even the staff, was in a festive spirit. Nessa loved her gifts, and Fiyero loved learning how to light the candles on the kinara. I had to admit, this was the most festive and by far the best Feast of Plenty I've ever experienced.

I brought in the new year by lying in bed, complaining of back pain. I was going into my eight month, and I was torn between the desire to get this baby out of me, and the feeling of fear at becoming a mother.

"I don't know anything about being a mother," I said as I sat with Fiyero and Nessa. We were having lunch in the parlor, since sitting on the couch was more comfortable for me.

"You'll be fine, Fabala," Nessa said, but that did little to reassure me.

"I mean, of course I've read books about parenthood, but there's so much you don't learn from reading."

"That is one of the last things I ever expected to hear you say," Fiyero said, feigning shock.

I rolled my eyes at him.

"You could always ask my mother for advice," he suggested and I smiled at him.

"Thanks, Yero."

Towards the middle of the month, I was supposed to host a dinner party for my advisors and their wives. I was suffering from horrible back pain and heartburn, but I did my best to power through it. I was always short of breath, my legs hurt, and my feet were swollen. I found myself always opting to be barefoot, no matter who was visiting. I honestly couldn't handle wearing shoes at the moment.

I was also experiencing Braxton-Hicks contractions, and they mostly loved to come at the most inopportune times. I just hoped it wouldn't happen at the dinner.

"Fae, are you sure you want to still host this?" Fiyero asked me as we got ready.

I had been falling behind with my responsibilities because of my pregnancy symptoms, but I was determined to host this event. I smoothed out the skirt of my dark purple gown with a quiet, "I'll be fine."

"Because if you want to rest, I can tell them that –"

"I'll be fine," I repeated more firmly.

Fiyero closed his mouth and nodded, giving me a gentle kiss on my forehead and placing his hand on my belly. His face lit up and I could tell that he felt the baby move.

"I felt the baby move!" he exclaimed happily.

He always got happy whenever he felt our child move, and it warmed my heart. I wanted to laugh, but instead, I grimaced and my hand flew to my stomach.

"Fae, are you alright? Is everything okay? You're not going into labor, are you? Should we send for the doctor? Should I –"

"Yero," I said, slowly closing my eyes. "I'm fine. _You_ might have felt the baby move, but _I_ felt it kick my ribs."

"Elphaba, I really think that you should –"

"Finish that sentence. I dare you."

Fiyero bit his lip and looked away. "I'm sorry."

I slowly approached him and took his hand. "If I begin to feel tired, I will try to take it easy, and only leave if I'm one hundred percent sure I won't make it through the rest of the night."

"Is that the most I can ask of you?"

"Yes."

"Then I'm okay with that."

We slowly walked down to the dining hall. I couldn't walk fast and I was heavily leaning against Fiyero as we walked down the stairs.

"Her Eminence and His Eminent-Consort."

The doors opened and we entered to polite applause. I could tell that most of the ladies, and some of my advisors, were wondering why I was barefoot, but I didn't acknowledge that.

The dinner was lively. All of the ladies immediately flocked me with labor advice and mothering tips. I forced a polite smile and thanked them. I knew they meant well, but I was still getting annoyed. A few of my advisors spoke with me about new policies that I had introduced on the rare occasion that I was actually in my office.

After dinner, we moved into the parlor for some entertainment. One of my staff members was very good at playing the piano, so he played a few songs for us.

We walked over and I saw Fiyero talking to one of my advisors, Sir Lin. I smiled politely. Sir Lin was one of my advisors who tried to fight against everything I said, but did it discreetly, thinking that I wouldn't notice. But, of course, I did.

"I was just telling Sir Lin about my ideas for encouraging the arts," Fiyero said, smiling brightly at me.

"And does Sir Lin care for such frivolities?" I asked a bit too politely.

If Sir Lin caught on, he didn't say anything. "I have many interests, Your Eminence. I also had many ideas for creating a health care system."

"Health care system? And what system would that be?"

He faltered slightly. "I meant if I should be fortunate enough for my plans to pass in Parliament."

"And when it does, there will be no more repeats of the old problems," Fiyero said.

I felt my face get hot. I held it back as best I could and smiled at my husband, already devising ways to kill him later. "Thank you, Sir Lin," I said, nodding to my advisor and excused myself. At that moment, pregnancy talks with the ladies didn't sound like such a horrible idea anymore.


	17. I Can't Lose You

**This is where the fun happens. I mean… fun for** ** _me_** **, not so much for anyone else. *Cackle***

* * *

After brushing and braiding my hair, I sat on the bed, my back facing the door, and waited for Fiyero. I couldn't believe what he had done, how he had embarrassed me the way he did. He was going to pay for this mistake.

I heard the door open and took a breath. "How dare you speak to me in that way before them," I hissed.

The door closed, but I didn't turn around. "What?" Fiyero asked.

"How dare you talk across me as if I were a child."

"What are you talking about? I did no such thing."

"Oh no?" I slowly rose to my feet. "You and Sir Lin have discussed political matters; political matters that are supposed to be _my_ responsibility. You helped plan all of these new reforms and sorted everything out and all without reference to me!"

"Fae, I thought you would be happy."

He tried to take my hands, but I pushed him away. "I will _tell_ you what you thought! You thought that I was weak! You thought that I couldn't handle these matters, so you took it upon yourself to make it _your_ business!"

"I just thought that since you were always so tired that –"

"You thought that I was going to sit back and let you pass me over and ignore me!" I was feeling strangely energized as adrenaline coursed through my veins. I knew I shouldn't get this excited, but it was too late now.

"If it were that simple, we could have avoided most of your mistakes," Fiyero said icily.

I was shocked. "Have you lost your mind!?"

"Only four years in power and you have, singlehandedly, made every mistake most rulers know to avoid!"

"I have told you before, and I will tell you again; I am perfectly capable of ruling this country on my own. I have been preparing for this my entire life, and I don't need you or anyone else telling me what I am capable of! You are my husband here, and that is all!"

"And that is quite enough, believe me!"

I could tell that Fiyero was getting just as angry as I was, but I refused to lose this battle, especially without a fight. "I will not have my role usurped! You are trying to take over my job! Is that why you wanted to marry me? So you could be in control of Munchkinland's affairs?"

"Of course not! If you would just listen to me, you would see that –"

"I am the Eminent Thropp! And if there are mistakes, they are _my_ mistakes, and I will fix them! No one else! Not even you!" I stalked over to the window and looked out over the gardens, absent-mindedly rubbing my stomach.

I heard Fiyero take a deep breath behind me. "I'm going before you get worked up and harm the baby."

"You will go when I tell you to." I heard footsteps leaving and I turned around. "I did not give you permission to leave!"

Fiyero opened the door and turned to look at me once more. "Good night, Elphaba."

He left the room and closed the door behind him. He had turned his back to me and left without my permission! "Fiyero, you may not go! I order you to come back! Fiyero! Fiyero!"

I hurried out of the room as fast as I could. "Fiyero!" I called. I turned and walked down the hall. Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain in my abdomen and slumped against the wall. I thought it was a Braxton-Hicks contraction, but they were never this painful. I didn't know what was happening, and that scared me even more.

Thankfully, Nanny was bringing clean bed sheets to my room, but immediately dropped them when she saw me. "Miss Elphaba, are you alright?" she asked, gently taking my arm.

"Something… something's wrong," I hissed through clenched teeth, trying to focus on my breathing.

She helped me back to my room and sat me down on the edge of the bed. "Shall I get Master Fiyero?"

"No," I said immediately. I wanted him, but at the same time, I didn't want him. I was still mad at him, and the part of me that didn't want him outweighed the part of me that did. "Just… stay with me."

Nanny nodded and sat with me on the bed, rubbing circles on my back. She called for a passing maid to send for the doctor. "Has the pain eased?"

"Not really. Is it… too soon for me to be in labor, Nanny?"

"A month early isn't too dangerous," she said comfortingly.

"Fabala?"

I looked up. "Hi, Nessa."

"Are you alright?" she asked, wheeling into the room.

I assumed that she heard that the doctor was sent for and asked Liah to bring her upstairs. "I'm fine," I said, rubbing my stomach as the pain began to ease.

"Do you want anything? Do you want Fiyero?"

"Not now," I said, then gasped as I felt the pain again. Nanny let me squeeze her hand, but I think I squeezed it harder than she would have liked.

The doctor soon came and examined me. He gave me a pill that forced my muscles to relax and it greatly calmed me down.

"Have I gone into labor?" I asked once he was finished.

"No, Your Eminence, but you were having contractions. The high adrenaline levels in your blood have briefly stimulated labor pains. Did you experience a high amount of stress in the past few hours?"

I thought back to my argument with Fiyero. "Yes."

"Then that's what caused it."

"Is the baby okay?"

"Yes, ma'am. The only thing I can tell you is to rest."

"Am I going to be on bed rest until I deliver?" I hated being confined to bed. I was already behind with my work and I didn't want it to get worse.

"No, but I must advise you to get plenty of rest and take it easy. If you want to make it to full term, you mustn't have any more high-stressful episodes."

"Of course. Thank you, doctor," I said and he bowed and showed himself out.

Nanny came back in and told me that Nessa had gone to bed. She said that Nessa had wanted to stay up, but Liah was very strict about making sure she got enough sleep on school nights.

"Are you alright?" she asked me, hurrying to my side and wiping my hair away from my forehead.

I don't know why, but I started crying. It was probably the hormones and everything that happened that day catching up with me. I felt Nanny gently pull me into her arms and I clung to her.

"Never mind," she whispered as she kissed my forehead and gently rocked me.

"You will never leave me, will you, Nanny?"

"Never, mon ange."

I must have fallen asleep in her arms, because the next thing I knew, it was morning and she was gone. I slowly pushed myself up and yawned. The other side of my bed was empty, so Fiyero either left before I woke up, or he didn't even come to bed. The latter sounded more logical in my mind after our argument.

I moved to get out of bed, but as soon as I stood up, I felt an immediate wave of dizziness that sent me back down to the bed. I rubbed my forehead. I knew I wouldn't make it downstairs. I rang for a maid and asked her to bring my breakfast up to my room. Maybe I could have my work brought up to me as well. I had a lot of important documents that I needed to sign.

When the maid returned with my breakfast, I sent her back down to get all of the papers and files on my desk. "Could you also inform whoever is working in the front-of-house that anyone looking to speak to me must reschedule? Do _not_ let them speak with Fiyero."

"Of course, ma'am," she curtsied and went to do as I asked.

I spent the entire day in my room. Nessa was in school and I didn't know where Fiyero was. The only reason I left my room was to go to the bathroom, which I seemed to need to do every hour. I didn't sleep very well the night before due to my extremely large stomach, so by tea break, I was in desperate need of a nap.

By five o'clock, I was exhausted. I managed to get myself very close to being caught up and I was very proud of myself. I would have gotten more done if not for those cursed Braxton-Hicks contractions.

 _Knock! Knock! Knock!_

"Come in."

The door opened and a maid curtsied. "Your Eminence, dinner is almost ready. Would you like it brought up?"

I did, but I also wanted to get out of my room. "I'll come downstairs. I could use a change of scenery."

"Very good, ma'am," the maid curtsied again before leaving.

I took a deep breath and slowly waddled out of my room. I slowly made my way down the stairs, refusing the help of a servant who saw me. When I got to the dining hall, Nessa and Fiyero had just started eating.

"Hi, Fabala," my sister said brightly when she saw me.

"Hi, Nessa," I smiled, and fought to keep that smile on my face when I saw my husband. "Fiyero."

"Hi, Fae," he said softly.

I sat down and ate what I could. I wasn't very hungry, so I mostly just ate my mashed potatoes and picked at my chicken. "How was your day, Nessa?"

My sister immediately told us all about her day in the village school. She told us about all the new friends she had made and her teachers and how she was settling in. Liah also went to the school with her, but she was only needed to push her chair and help her in the restroom. But other than that, she remained practically invisible, which I knew Nessa was grateful for.

After dinner, I went into the parlor. Nessa went back to her room to finish up some homework, and Fiyero, surprisingly, follow me.

"Fae?"

"Yes?" I responded curtly. I still wasn't ready to talk to him yet.

"How long are you going to stay mad at me?"

I didn't answer.

"I was just trying to help you."

"It isn't helpful if I didn't ask for, or need, it."

Fiyero was about to say more, but instead, he just sighed and left. He didn't come to bed that night.

The next morning, I was supposed to visit a charity in Old Pastoria. When I got in the carriage, I wondered why we weren't moving. I turned and saw Fiyero walking towards the carriage and sighed.

"You don't have to accompany me," I said, not looking at him as he sat down next to me.

"I said I would come with you, so I'm coming with you," was his answer as the carriage took off.

As we traveled up the Yellow Brick Road, I looked out at all the people lining the streets. I didn't smile. I wasn't in the mood for smiling.

"For Oz sake, smile, Elphaba. Anyone would think we had argued," Fiyero said, sounding impatient.

"Don't speak to me."

I felt Fiyero glaring at me, but I ignored him.

What happened next happened so fast. One moment, I was looking out at the crowd, and the next, Fiyero pushed me back and leaned in front of me. My shocked exclamation was drowned out by the sound of a gunshot.

Everyone was thrown into a panic. There were guards trying to protect me and people in the streets screaming and running away. Another gunshot rang out and the panic grew.

I had absolutely no idea what was going on. Time seemed to slow down, almost to the point of stopping. I looked up to see a man in a black coat with a gun pointed directly at me. I saw him get tackled to the ground and a third gunshot went off. I screamed and felt a hand on my shoulder. In a blind panic, I shrugged it off and looked down my husband.

"YERO!" I cried when I saw blood covering my dress and his limp, bloodied form slouched in my lap.

* * *

 **And here is the #NiaHasNoChill. I really missed this hashtag, as well as the CLIFFIES! MWAHAHAHAHA!**


	18. I Love You

**Hello, everyone! Sorry I didn't update on the 18** **th** **, but FF was being iffy with the emails, so I didn't want to update. But we're back!**

 **Also, if you didn't read the previous chapter (with the Fiyeraba cliffy), GO BACK AND READ IT! This chapter will make more sense having read the previous chapter.**

* * *

The closest place for Fiyero to be taken to was a small hospital. I remember sobbing as I ran behind the footman carrying his body inside. The entire hospital staff was on full alert and they put him on a stretcher and wheeled him away. I felt completely numb. I faintly remember being ushered to a private room, out of the public eye. I did something I never pictured myself doing. I started praying to every deity possible that Fiyero would feel alright. I was feeling every single possible negative emotion right then and there.

But I mostly felt guilt. Guilt of the last argument we had. Guilt that I didn't forgive him. Guilt that I would probably never be able to tell him that I was sorry and that I love him. I found myself crying until I felt I had cried out most of the water in my body. It felt like a whole day had gone by, but when I looked at the clock, it had only been four hours.

"Your Eminence?"

I looked up and nodded to the doctor.

"The prince was shot in the arm. Thankfully, the bullet didn't fragment as much as we thought it would and we were able to remove all the pieces."

"Is he going to be okay?"

"He is, Your Eminence."

Relief washed over me. "May I see him?"

The doctor nodded. "Follow me."

I followed the doctor down the hall to a large, white room. There, in the bed, laid Fiyero. His left arm was wrapped in a thick, white bandage and he was fast asleep.

"He should wake up soon," the doctor said, bowing and leaving, closing the door behind him.

I stood rooted to the spot for a moment. Then I saw Fiyero's fingers twitch and he slowly opened his eyes. He slowly lifted his head and looked at me, a smile making its way onto his lips. Unable to stop myself, I hurried towards him and sat on the bed, careful not to touch his arm.

"I'm so sorry," I whispered desperately as I kissed his cheek. He raised his good arm and gently rubbed my back. "I thought I was going to lose you. I've already lost my parents and my great-grandfather. I couldn't bear to lose you, too."

"He wasn't a very good shot," Fiyero said with a soft smile.

"You're so brainless! Why did you do that? You could have been killed! Why did you do that?"

"For two reasons." He gently pulled me down so I was laying next to him. "First, I am replaceable and you are not."

"You are not replaceable to _me_."

"And second, you are the only wife I've got and ever will have. You are my world, Fae. And I will love you until my last breath."

I gently hugged him. "I love you."

"I love you, too, Fae."

"And I'm sorry for everything."

"It's okay."

We stayed like that for a moment. "How much does it hurt?"

"Not much. Then again, I'm on a very powerful pain pill, so once that wears off, ask me again."

I chuckled softly and gently pulled away.

"Are you alright?"

I knew what he meant and gently took his hand and placed it on my stomach. "We're fine," I said. I was surprised I didn't have another episode. I'm pretty sure having your husband shot and thinking that he would die would count as a 'stressful event'.

He kissed my forehead and I stayed with him. The baby decided to make a game out of which organ to kick to cause me the most pain, but Fiyero held me through it. Even after visiting hours were over, I stayed, because were they _really_ going to kick _me_ out?

Two days later, Fiyero was discharged with strict orders to rest and take the pain pills every three hours. As soon as we got home, I led him up to our room and I spent the rest of the day alone with him.

"I should reschedule the charity visit," I said as I absent-mindedly played with his fingers.

"You want to do it before the baby is born?"

"I should. Once the baby comes, I'll go on maternity leave for a few months. If I don't visit the charity within the month, I probably never will."

I ended up going to the charity a few weeks later. Fiyero was walking around by then, his arm in a sling.

But I was also very nervous. I was told that my attempted assassin was mentally unstable and was committed to the asylum. But now that he was out of the way, it made me think about who else would try to do the same thing, and this time, result in a different outcome.

I was officially nine months pregnant and waiting anxiously for the baby to be born. Nessa was simply ecstatic and insisted on calling herself 'Auntie Nessa'. It made me smile to see her so happy.

"I wish Father was here," she said softly.

"I do, too," I agreed.

One morning, I had a surprise for Fiyero. I brought him into my office and smiled as he looked at the newest addition.

"I hope you don't mind that I had a desk brought in for you," I said as Fiyero walked over to the new desk adjacent to mine.

"What's this about?"

"I… I want to share my work with you. I want us to work together. You have many great ideas, and I was too stubborn to really see it before. I want to change that."

"Do I get any say in this?"

"No. Of course not," I laughed and kissed him softly. "As long as you don't forget who's really in charge," I added with a smirk and he laughed and kissed me again.

From then on, we shared my work. It made me feel much better to work alongside my husband. It did make running the country a whole lot easier.

"Fabala?"

I looked up to see Nessa wheeling over to me. I was in the office and Fiyero stepped out to go to the bathroom. "Yes, Nessa?"

"May I have two of my friends over on Saturday?"

"Who?"

"Lyanna and Gezibel."

Nessa had managed to develop quite a friend circle, but I heard the names of those two girls the most, so I assumed they were Nessa's best friends. I was about to say okay, then thought about it. I was due any day now, so did I really want two guests in the house at this time.

"Can this wait until after the baby comes?" I suggested softly.

Nessa completely understood and nodded. "Of course, Fabala."

As she left, Fiyero came back in. "Are you ready?"

I nodded as I put away the papers on my desk and he helped me to my feet. I walked slower than ever, which really irritated me. I just wanted to stop being pregnant and give birth.

"Come with me," I said, gently pulling him towards the stairs.

He followed and helped me up, and I led him to the portrait gallery. "What are we doing up here," he asked me as I led him down the room.

I didn't answer until we stopped beneath our portrait. I looked up at our semi-smiling faces and sighed. Fiyero mirrored his image by placing his hand on my shoulder and I gently placed my hand on top of his.

"We're really starting our own family," I whispered softly, looking at the picture of my grandparents with my aunt and mother.

"That's right. And everything is going to be perfect."

I rubbed my stomach and leaned against him, then frowned.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I'm just really sore."

"Why don't you lay down?"

"I want to eat dinner downstairs."

"You can if you feel up to it, but you should rest for a few moments."

I wasn't the happiest, but I nodded and walked with Fiyero down the hall. "Wait," I said, pushing open an ajar door.

I looked around the new room I would be spending a lot of time in. The baby's nursery was almost complete. We had a crib, changing table, dresser, rocking chair, everything we would need to welcome the new addition to the family. Fiyero's parents had sent over some of his baby clothes in case it was a boy, and I bought a few clothes for a girl. We would just have to wait and see.

As the days dragged on, I became impatient. Newspapers began speculating when I would go into labor and what the baby's gender would be. I knew everyone was impatient to meet the new heir, and honestly, so was I. I was only feeling two things; impatient and uncomfortable.

Nessa tried to distract me by telling me about her school. She told me about her science fair project, how she was learning piano in music class, and about how all the boys loved to compliment her.

I made a comment about how she was too young to date, and as soon as I said it, I realized how much I sounded like a mother. Nessa had only laughed and said that she wasn't thinking about dating yet. She was still writing to Boq and she sometimes met up with him on the weekends. I didn't know if she still had a big crush on him, since she didn't see him as much anymore, but it was clear that they were very good friends.

"The boys are just being sweet, Fabala," she told me and I smiled at her. Sweet or not, she was still too young for a boyfriend.

Fiyero also tried to distract me by telling me stories about his childhood in the Vinkus. Of course, being married to him for almost five years, I had heard these stories before, but it was nice to hear them again.

"And then, when the duchess revealed the portrait, it was a whale instead."

I laughed. "And you didn't get caught?"

"Nope. Cierrah was about to tell on Jo and me, but we convinced her that if she told, that would make it sound like she was apart of it, too. We got away with a lot growing up."

I smiled.

"Did you ever get away with anything?"

"Once," I whispered. "I was seven years old. I pretended to be sick so I wouldn't have to attend a state dinner party with my great-grandfather. Well, Nanny caught my bluff, but she didn't tell on me. Instead, after she tucked me in, she read me a story. I don't remember the name of it, but it was about this magical boy who never grew up and played all the time with his friends. I loved that story. After that, my entire relationship with Nanny changed for the better."

I had never told Fiyero that story before. It felt good to share that special story with someone else.

"That's very sweet, Fae," he smiled, drawing a pattern on my belly.

"But don't tell Nanny that I told you. She denies it to this day."

Fiyero laughed and I soon felt my eyelids grow heavier as I snuggled next to him. My pillow was under my stomach to make it a bit more comfortable, so I used my husband's chest as a replacement pillow, not that he minded. His steady heartbeat and breathing lulled me to sleep, and I was reassured that everything would be just fine.

* * *

 **Something very special is coming next. Could it be… the Fiyeraba baby perhaps?**


	19. I Am A Mother

_The Official Eminence Estate at Colwen Grounds_

 _February 6_

 _Her Eminence, Elphaba Melena Thropp, and His Eminent-Consort, Prince Fiyero Liir Tigulaar-Thropp, are pleased to announce that Her Eminence has safely given birth to their first-born child. Their daughter, formally known as Her Excellency Heir Apparent Falaycia Thiah Thropp, was born this morning at four thirty-three at St. Aelphaba Hospital. The new addition to the family, weighing six pounds, five ounces, nineteen and a half inches long, is currently fifth in line to the Vinkun throne on her father's side, though it is doubtful that she will take the position due to being the Heir Apparent to the Eminency of Munchkinland on her mother's side._

 _The official estate reports that both Her Eminence and Her Excellency are in good health. Both parents are simply ecstatic to welcome the newest addition of their family into the world._

At first, when I went into labor, I wasn't completely sure what was going on. I was in the bath when I felt it. I didn't know what it was supposed to feel like, but my stomach dropped and it felt like I was peeing. But I had just peed before getting in the tub, so I knew that wasn't the case. That's when I realized that my water had broken and I was in labor.

I quickly got out of the tub and drained the water. I put on my robe, tied up my wet hair, and went to search for my husband. I found him fast asleep on the couch in the parlor. "Yero," I whispered, gently nudging him.

He moaned and sleepily swatted at my hand.

"Yero, wake up."

He slowly opened his eyes. "Mmm… Fae?"

"My water broke," I whispered.

His eyes widened. "What?"

I motioned for him to keep his voice down. "My water broke." I didn't want to alert the entire staff what was going on.

He pushed himself up and yawned. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. A bit nervous, but fine."

"Have you felt any contractions?"

"One, but it wasn't very strong. It felt like a tightening feeling if anything."

He gently pulled me into his arms. "This is it."

"Yeah."

"Are you ready?"

"It's too late to turn back now, isn't it?"

"Yes, Fae. You'll be fine. Do you want some a drink or a snack?"

"Maybe some tea… and apple slices with peanut butter."

Fiyero nodded and we walked hand-in-hand to the kitchen. My request was immediately fulfilled and we went to sit in the office. I managed to get some work done, then stopped for the day right after lunch. I walked around the parlor for a bit until I got dizzy from walking in circles. I knew Nessa would be home from school in a few hours, and I couldn't wait to tell her.

"Fabala!" she cried as soon as she came through the door with Liah.

"In the parlor, Nessa," Fiyero answered.

She didn't wait for her aid to push her into the door and she excitedly wheeled over to me. "I'm in the school musical!"

"That's amazing, Nessa," I smiled brightly. "What show is it?"

"It's called _'Young At Heart'_. It's about four sisters who stick together in the face of war and tragedy. I'm playing Calysteria, the second-to-youngest sister."

"That show played at the theatre in the Vinkus when I was little. My mother took us to see it," Fiyero recalled. "It's a really beautiful story."

"I'm going to my room to read the script," she said as she hurriedly wheeled out of the room, closely followed by Liah.

"So much for telling Nessa," I chuckled once she left.

"She's very excited about the musical," Fiyero said.

"I know. She had been practicing so hard. She really wanted to get in. She didn't think she would because of her chair, so I'm really glad she's in."

"Actually, Calysteria is in a wheelchair in the second act. She and her older sister, Adela, have this beautiful duet."

"Why is Calysteria in a wheelchair in the second act?"

"I can't tell you. That would spoil it for you, and I'm not going to do that."

He kissed my nose and I frowned at him. I felt another contraction and gripped the arm of the couch.

"Should we call for the midwife now?"

I nodded and Fiyero called a maid over. By the time the midwife got there, I had experienced three more contractions.

"You're four centimeters dilated, Your Eminence," she said after examining me. "You've still got a while left to go."

She stayed in the palace for the rest of the afternoon. I spent my time walking around, trying to distract myself. When I tried to sit, my back was so uncomfortable that I had to stand back up, but after standing for long periods of time, I had to sit down, and the cycle continued.

"Do you want dinner, Fae?"

"I want this baby to be born already," I grunted from where I was laying on the bed.

I heard Fiyero chuckle softly and if I could, I would have rolled over to glare at him. "This isn't funny."

"I know. I'm sorry. I wasn't laughing at you, Fae."

I felt the bed sink and a gentle hand massaging my back. I moaned, closing my eyes. "I feel miserable."

"I know."

Someone knocked on the door and I groaned. "Whoever it is, could you send them away?"

"Mmhmm," Fiyero hummed and went to answer the door. "Hi, Nessa."

I rolled over and sat up with great difficulty. "Hi, Nessa."

"Hi," my sister smiled, wheeling into the room. "I heard you went into labor this morning."

I nodded, figuring that one of the staff had let it slip to her. I wanted to tell her myself, but I had waited too long.

"Are you alright?"

I shifted positions. "I am."

"Are you nervous?"

"A little," I chuckled. I felt a particularly strong contraction and inhaled sharply, and Fiyero was at my side in a flash. I closed my eyes, trying not to make any noise.

"Do you want anything?"

I shook my head, holding Fiyero's hand as the contraction continued. When I opened my eyes, Nessa was gone.

"I'm going to take a shower," I said and Fiyero helped me to my feet. I slowly waddled out of the room, one hand on my stomach, and the other on my back.

Later that evening, I experienced bouts of vomiting and nosebleeds, and I started to develop a fever, so I was rushed to the hospital. When people saw the official Colwen Grounds carriage speeding down the road with quick glimpses of Fiyero, the midwife, and me, they figured out what was going on. News soon spread and once I had checked into the hospital and settled into the room, Fiyero told me that a crowd had already gathered outside.

"Well, looks like they're in for a long night of waiting," I said, then felt a contraction. It wasn't the strongest, but it was enough for me to have to stop and really focus on breathing. "And so am I."

I took to walking around the room, moaning and complaining about the pain. Fiyero got me ice and the doctor gave me a shot to bring down my fever.

"You're six centimeters dilated, Your Eminence," the doctor told me three hours after I arrived.

I groaned. I still wasn't dilated enough and the pain was becoming worse. I felt like my insides were being pulled every-which-way and it was the worst feeling in the world.

"This feels like plastic," I complained, fidgeting with the hospital gown. "Add 'better hospital gowns' to my list of Munchkinland improvements."

Fiyero smiled and sympathetically rubbed my arm.

I was able to take short naps in between my contractions. The rest of my labor progressed slowly, which drove me crazy. Fiyero had managed to grab a book for me to read, knowing that I would probably be bored. He was so thoughtful. The book managed to distract me, but not for as long as I would have wished.

"I will kill you for doing this to me," I muttered to Fiyero as a longer contraction ended.

"I'm sorry, Fae, but it will all be over soon. And it will be worth it," he said, kissing my cheek and wiping the sweat from my forehead.

I had contractions throughout the night. Even though I was sore, cranky, and uncomfortable, I managed to sleep for a little while. Every time I woke up due to a contraction, Fiyero was awake and holding my hand. When I asked him if he had slept, he told me that he simply wasn't tired. Even though I couldn't see his face in the darkness, I could hear the tiredness in his voice.

"Get some sleep, Yero," I told him as I calmed. "Please."

We slept some more until I began experiencing stronger, closer together contractions.

"I need to push," I told the midwife when she came in with her assistants. " _Now_."

"You're only eight centimeters dilated, Your Eminence. It's not time yet," she told me gently.

"The pain…" I hissed.

"Do you want some ice, Fae?" Fiyero asked, wiping my forehead.

"No!" I hissed, swatting his hand away. "I _want_ this baby _out_!"

"We can give you a shot to help with the pain," the midwife suggested.

"Do it!"

She prepared the shot and injected it into my arm. Once it began to take effect, I felt myself begin to relax. It didn't take the pain away completely, but it was enough to make it more bearable.

"Thank you," I said in a soft whisper.

"Of course, ma'am," the midwife said, then gently probed my stomach.

It was a quarter to four in the morning when the baby started to come. I was exhausted from a round of painful contractions, some of which started before the previous one had finished, but I felt the adrenaline coursing through my veins. I felt hot and cold at the same time and I remember shouting at Fiyero, but I don't recall what I was shouting for. Despite my angry rampage, he was very supportive and encouraging.

"Can I push now, _please_?" I asked desperately with a moan.

"Yes, Your Eminence. You're fully dilated now. On the next contraction, push!" the midwife said from the foot of the bed.

As if on cue, as soon as she said that, I felt the contraction and began to push. I squeezed Fiyero's good hand and screamed at the top of my lungs.

"Fiyero, close the window," I said as I rested in between contractions.

Even though it was February, the room was getting hot, especially for me, but that wasn't the only reason I wanted the window closed. "Aren't you hot?"

"Of course, but I don't need all the people outside hearing me scream."

Fiyero nodded and left my side to close the window. As soon as he came back, another contraction started and I resumed pushing.

The process was intense, but quick. I wasn't pushing for as long as I thought I would be. After lots of grunting, groaning, yelling, panting, sweating, and a little bit of swearing, I felt the baby come completely out and relaxed against the many pillows behind my back.

"It's a girl!" the midwife announced triumphantly. "Congratulations, Your Eminence! Your Highness!"

I laughed and Fiyero kissed my sweaty forehead. "I love you," he whispered, kissing me again.

After cleaning the baby off and cutting the umbilical cord, the midwife laid my daughter in my arms.

"She's beautiful," Fiyero whispered.

"She is," I agreed. I was very glad the baby wasn't born green, but I didn't voice those thoughts. "And I'm glad this whole process is over."

"Not exactly," the midwife said, then explained that I still had to deliver the placenta.

I moaned, but it was much easier than delivering a baby. Once that was over, the midwife declared that I was finished pushing and cleaned me up and I got to know my daughter.

"What should we name her?" Fiyero asked, gently stroking her cheek.

"Falaycia," I said almost immediately.

Fiyero looked at me. "That's a Vinkun name, Fae."

"I know, Yero."

"Shouldn't she have a Munchkin first name?"

"She's part Vinkun."

"I know, but –"

"Do you know what it means?"

"Of course. It means 'new beginnings'."

"So I think it's a perfect name for her. Since I gave her a Vinkun first name, you can give her a Munchkin middle name."

Fiyero thought for a moment. "Thiah."

I smiled. "I love it."

"Do you know what it means?"

I rolled my eyes at his teasing. "Of course. It means 'home is here'."

He kissed me gently and I kissed him back. "Welcome to the world, Falaycia Thiah."

As we got acquainted with the baby, I had a staff member send a message to my sister saying that we're both fine and I want her to come and meet the baby. I didn't want her to know the gender because I wanted to surprise her myself. Nessa arrived two hours later, eager to meet the baby.

"How are you?" was the first thing she asked when she entered.

"I'm fine. Exhausted and sore, but also very happy. Here, Auntie Nessa," I said, gently handing the bundle to her. "Meet your niece."

"Niece?" she whispered in awe as she took the baby with great care, unable to wipe the smile off her face and immediately fell in love. "She's perfect, Fabala. Congratulations."

"Thank you," I smiled.

"What's her name?"

"Falaycia Thiah Thropp."

"That's beautiful." She paused briefly before adding. "Father would have loved her."

"He would have," I agreed softly as she handed Falaycia to Fiyero, who gently held her in his good arm.

Once both the baby and I were given a clean bill of health, I was discharged and allowed to go home. It was close to nine-thirty in the morning before I made a public appearance.

Fiyero and I exited the hospital to cheers and thunderous applause. I smiled brightly and Fiyero and I gave quick waves to the adoring public. We answered a few questions for the press, but didn't stay outside for very long, since it was still very cold.

As we rode back to the palace, I couldn't take my eyes off of my daughter, who was currently sleeping peacefully. I couldn't stop thinking about how right Fiyero was. This was definitely the start of a new beginning.

"We're home," Fiyero said as we entered the estate.

"Yes," I replied, kissing my daughter's forehead. "We are."

* * *

 **So, does anyone know what book/movie/musical** ** _'Young At Heart'_** **is based off of?**

 **Two more chapters, everyone! Don't forget to review!**


	20. I Have A Family

**Guest: I didn't know that. Thanks for telling me. You learn something new every day.**

 **And congrats to Sammi (Guest)! 'Young At Heart' is based off of _'Little Women'_ by Louisa May Alcott.**

* * *

"Mama?"

I hummed as I turned over in my sleep. I snuggled closer to my husband, not wanting to wake up yet.

"Mama?"

Unfortunately, my daughter had different plans. I felt the bed sink as she climbed up and wedged herself in-between Fiyero and me.

"Laycie," Fiyero grumbled as he turned over. "What are you doing in here?"

"Time to get up now," our now six-year-old daughter said. I felt her place her hand against my cheek and I slowly opened my eyes with a smile.

"Good morning, sweetie," I chuckled throatily, pushing myself up and Fiyero did the same with a not-so-quiet yawn.

Falaycia immediately crawled into my lap and hugged me. "Morning, Mama," she smiled, then crawled out of my lap to hug Fiyero. "Morning, Daddy."

"Good morning, princess," Fiyero smiled, kissing her forehead.

I heard the pitter-patter of more feet and looked up just in time to see my two-year-old twins hurry into the bedroom.

"How did you guys get out of your cribs?" Fiyero asked.

"Sorry!" Nessa called as she wheeled into the room. "I only meant to wake them up and give them their milk, but they ran away."

"Mama! Dada!" the twins giggled, jumping up and down.

Fiyero grunted as he swung his legs over the edge of the bed and sleepily pushed himself up. He helped our younger daughter onto the bed and picked up our son.

"Good morning, Rebekkah," I smiled as the toddler climbed into my lap, her thumb planted firmly in her mouth. I looked up at my son. "Good morning, Adson."

"Hi, Mama," he said, giving me a little wave as he leaned against Fiyero's shoulder.

"Good morning, Nessa," I smiled at my sister as I got up with Rebekkah still in my arms.

"Good morning, Fabala. Good morning, Fiyero."

"Good morning, Nessa," Fiyero smiled, giving my sister a kiss on the cheek.

"Fiyero, you take Adson and I'll take Rebekkah. Nessa, could you take Laycie?" I asked, running my fingers through Rebekkah's short, dark brown hair.

"Of course," my sister smiled as Falaycia ran to her aunt and climbed onto her lap. The two disappeared down the hall and I went to get my younger daughter ready.

It took the better part of an hour and a half, but finally, the kids were dressed and downstairs eating breakfast. Well… _Falaycia_ was eating breakfast. Adson and Rebekkah were more interested in seeing who could throw their oatmeal the farthest.

"Adson Zebil and Rebekkah Maia, please don't throw your food," Fiyero sighed.

The twins simply giggled.

Fiyero and I ended up feeding them while Falaycia informed Nessa of the latest gossip.

"And then what did Teddy say?" Nessa asked, and I couldn't tell if she was pretending to be interested in the story.

"Teddy said that Bunny told him that Baby Blushie told her that the Beanie Babies are breaking up," Falaycia said and Nessa gasped.

"Oh no! That's awful! Did they say why?"

"Apparently, Blue Beanie Baby and Red Beanie Baby weren't getting along, and there was this whole big fight and they decided to break up."

"But didn't Yellow Beanie Baby try to keep the peace between them?" Fiyero asked, and I glanced over at him.

"He did, and Green Beanie Baby tried to help him, but it didn't work."

"I'm so sorry," Fiyero frowned and I bit my lip to avoid laughing. "You gotta keep up with the gossip, Fae," he whispered to me after breakfast. "It's very important to know what the stuffed animals are saying. They're the ones with all the information."

"Sometimes I wonder how many children are actually in this house," I whispered back as I rolled my eyes.

"I just need to make sure they're not gossiping about me."

"I'm sure they have more interesting things to gossip about than _you_ , Yero," I chuckled and he stuck his tongue out at me. "Laycie, are you ready for school?"

"Yes, Mama," Falaycia smiled as she put her pink backpack on her back.

"Good. Auntie Nessa will bring you. Be good." I gave my daughter a hug and a kiss and Fiyero did the same.

"I will! Bye-bye, Mama! Bye-bye, Daddy! Bye-bye, Bekkah! Bye-bye, Adson!"

As always, Fiyero and I watched from the window as Nessa and Rebekkah went outside, through the gate, and disappeared from our view to the village school.

"Is the mayor of Munchkin City still coming today?" Fiyero asked as I tried to get Adson to stop trying to pull my hair.

"He is. I couldn't reschedule our meeting," I sighed. "I really don't want him to come back. He's always asking for more funding, but then he never puts in any initiative."

"Do you want me to stay during the meeting?"

"Please. If anything, you'll be there to stop me from jumping down his throat."

Fiyero chuckled and lifted a squealing Rebekkah into his arms.

"Would you like me to take the twins, Miss Elphaba?"

I looked over and smiled at Nanny. "Thank you, Nanny."

Nanny, now well into her golden years, was still going strong and had graciously agreed to stay on and look after my children. I was eternally grateful to her. I watched her as the twins obediently went back upstairs with her, probably to the nursery.

I started working and had just finished signing a bunch of documents when the mayor arrived. As promised, Fiyero stayed with me and made sure I didn't do or say anything I would regret later. Just as I suspected, the mayor was asking for more money, which I told him, as I always did, that it wasn't in the budget and he would have to wait until the next quarter. He wasn't too thrillifed, but knew he couldn't argue with me.

Once he left, I took a short break. Afterwards, I looked over the final preparations for the celebrations the following weekend. It would be the two hundred fiftieth anniversary of the Thropp family line in power over Munchkinland. I looked over the final preparations and decorations for the Colwen Grounds square, the parade, and my speech. It would be a very special day for my family and me, and also for the rest of Munchkinland.

The rest of the week passed quickly and the big day arrived on Saturday. As usual, Laycie served as our alarm clock as woke us up with the sun. Fiyero and I changed the twins before we all headed down to breakfast. After breakfast (and Laycie keeping us up-to-date with the beanie baby breakup), we all got dressed. I picked out a dark purple dress and black blazer. Fiyero wore a dark yellow suit. I dressed Laycie in a light pink dress, Rebekkah in a light blue dress, and Adson in a dark blue shirt and shorts. Nessa combed Rebekkah's hair while I braided Laycie's.

"Are we gonna see a parade, Mama?" Laycie asked as she bounced up and down.

"We will," I nodded, and my eldest daughter squealed.

"Do you have to give a speech?"

"Speech! Speech! Mama, speech!" Rebekkah repeated as she clapped.

"I do," I chuckled.

"Is it long?" Laycie pouted.

"Falaycia!" Nessa chided.

"It's not very long," I said, kissing her forehead. I had taken into account that I had three children (and a husband) who got restless and bored very easily.

"Is there going to be a party later?" Laycie asked.

"Yes, but it is for adults."

"Can I go?"

I chuckled. "Only Daddy, Auntie Nessa, and I can go to the party."

"But _I_ wanna go!"

"You can have a tea party with Nanny and the twins before bed," I said, hoping that was a good enough compromise.

Thankfully, it was, and Laycie settled for happily chatting about the tea party she was going to host that evening. Once we were all ready, we made our way to the carriage and went off to the square.

Laycie had the time of the life waving to the people outside. To my surprise, Adson fell asleep on the way there. With any luck, he would stay asleep the whole time, but I didn't want him to miss the parade.

As soon as our carriage pulled into the square, we were immediately the center of attention. Laycie loved it, while the twins were still indifferent to it. Once the carriage stopped, I was helped down and moved to help Laycie. However, Laycie decided that she was going to jump down from the carriage. She landed surprisingly graceful on her feet and gave me a wide smile that I knew she had picked up from Fiyero.

My husband got the twins and we made our way to the large pavilion after Nessa was helped down and into her chair. I put on my reading glasses and took out my speech. I was never one to get nervous, but that time, I felt some butterflies flying around in my stomach. I felt a gentle nudge and looked over at Fiyero, who gave me an encouraging smile.

I stepped over to the podium and the crowd erupted into more cheers. "My fellow Munchkins," I spoke in a loud, clear voice. "Today marks a very special occasion in the history of our great country. I am honored to stand before you as your Eminent Thropp to celebrate two hundred fifty years of the Thropp family instatement over Munchkinland."

I had to pause in my speech because the crowd wanted to cheer.

"In my ten years as Eminent, I have learned more about governing this wonderful country than I ever thought I would just by watching my great-grandfather. I have had the constant support of not only you, but also my esteemed counselors and my loving family." I smiled at Fiyero and Nessa, who both beamed back. "From my counselors giving me advice, to my children helping me decide which dress to wear for evening events –"

I had to stop again because everyone laughed. I even heard Fiyero's laughter from off to the side and Nessa's quiet giggles.

"I consider myself extremely lucky to have such an amazing support system. We have made much progress, but that progress hasn't come without hardships and attached strings. I have had to make some very tough decisions and choices that I knew wouldn't please everybody. I would also like to take this time to thank you for your trust in me. I would not have made it this far without it."

More applause and cheers.

"So, as we look forward to the coming days, weeks, months, and years, let us remember to continue working together to create a better Munchkinland for our children, grandchildren, and all future generations. Thank you."

I nodded and waved to the crowd with a beaming smile. I stepped back and felt Fiyero slip his hand into mine. I turned to him and gently captured his lips in a kiss, which made the crowd cheer even louder.

"Mama's kissing Daddy!" Laycie squealed.

Fiyero and I pulled away with a soft chuckle. I look over at the twins, who were looking at us in awe, and honestly, I didn't know what that meant. But our kiss was soon forgotten about once the parade started.

Laycie was mesmerized by the colorful costumes the dancers were wearing and loved dancing to the bands. Rebekkah and Adson attempted to dance, but ended up spinning around and falling on their bottoms more times than I was able to keep track of.

"Your speech was wonderful, Fae," Fiyero said on the way home.

All three of our children were fast asleep, which was nothing short of a miracle. The twins were known to be unable to sleep without their blankets and I thought Laycie would be too excited to sleep, but I was proven wrong. Rebekkah was in Fiyero's lap, Adson was in Nessa's, and Laycie was sitting next to me with her head resting on my arm.

"Thank you, Yero," I smiled. "That went much smoother than I thought it would."

"Everyone loved it."

"The parade or my speech?"

"Both."

I sighed. "I meant what I said, though. About how I have the best support system I could ask for."

"Yes, well, your advisors have some good ideas from time to time."

I rolled my eyes. "I meant you, Yero. And you, too, Nessa."

"Thank you, Fabala," my sister smiled as Adson made a face and snuggled closer to her.

When we got back to the palace, Nanny appeared and asked if I wanted her to put the children down for their naps. I thanked her, but shook my head. Instead, my family and I made our way to the parlor and we simply sat together. We laid the children on the couch together and covered them with a blanket. Fiyero and Nessa set up a chess game and I curled up in the armchair by the window with a book.

It was times like this when I simply enjoyed the feeling of being around my loving family.

* * *

 **One more chapter to go!**


	21. Epilogue: I Am So Proud

**This is the final chapter! *Hands out tissues* You're gonna need these! Just a warning.**

* * *

Fifty-eight years.

That's how long I reigned over Munchkinland with Fiyero by my side. For fifty-eight years, we worked tirelessly together, overseeing the prosperity of Munchkinland. Together, we reformed Munchkinland's education system, oversaw the welfare of the lower class, and saw the expansion of industry. Of course there were a few bumps in the road, but we overcame them together.

We saw our children grow up, get married, and have children of their own. Falaycia had two sons; Lyle Navon and Windon Traylor. Rebekkah had three children; two boys and a girl named Mikal Lars, Rixen Dahn, and Maven Nicia. Adson had two daughters, Dothia Carme (who we all affectionately called 'Dottie'), and Amalitta Hirelle (who we called 'Litta').

Unfortunately, Fiyero died before Dottie and Litta were born.

He had been very sick for a while. The doctor had diagnosed him with a lung disease that left his lungs scarred and damaged. He spent his final days in bed with me by his side. He was seventy-eight years old when he passed. I will never forget that day. It was Thursday June twelfth at five forty-seven in the evening. He was asleep and I was laying next to him, our children surrounding the bed, then I felt it. His chest just stopped rising and falling and he was gone. I was devastated when he left me, but I knew that whatever afterlife he was in, he was no longer suffering.

I created and sponsored a yearly scholarship for any Munchkin who wished to go to a university outside of Munchkinland in his honor. They had to exemplify characters of courage, passion, compassion, and be the top of the class. By doing this, I felt like I was making him proud.

After he died, I hid away in the palace for a while, not necessary neglecting my duties, but also in no rush to complete them. After a few months, I slowly began to go back into the public eye, due to my advisors' advice. I continued on, but not a day went by where I didn't miss the love of my life.

"Nonna! Nonna!"

I look up from where I'm sitting on the porch to see six-year-old Dottie running over to me. I smile as I open my arms for the hug I know is coming. She leaps into my arms and I grunt softly. I am still healthy and on my feet, but being eighty-five years old, I don't exactly have the body and strength of a twenty-five year old anymore.

"Hi, Nonna!" she says happily.

"Hello, sweetie," I smile as I kiss her forehead. "How was the ride here?"

"Okay."

I look up to see my son and his wife, along with three-year-old Amalitta, approaching the house. "Hello, Adson. Hello, River. Hello, Litta."

"Hello, Mother," Adson smiles as he kisses my cheek and River gives me a gentle hug.

"Say hi to Nonna, Litta," River gently encourages her daughter.

"Hi, Nonna," the little girl repeats with a little wave and I give her a kiss on her forehead. I look over at my daughter-in-law and smile at her rounded stomach. "How far along are you?"

"Seven months," she answers, rubbing her stomach. "I think this one is another girl, but Adson is hoping for a boy."

"Can you blame me? I want to play catch in the backyard, not have my nails painted," my son sighs.

River winces slightly and I know immediately that it's a kick.

"Has anyone else arrived yet?" Adson asks.

"Laycie and Goam are here, as well as Lyle and Windon," I respond as I go back into the house with them in tow.

"They live here, Mother."

"I know. You think I would forget which one of my children still live under my roof?"

"I thought you loved having us here, Mother."

I turn at the indignant sounding voice to see my first son-in-law coming over to me. "I would love it even more if you stopped eating me out of house and home."

"Growing boys need to eat," he protests.

"And what are you?"

"A big baby," Falaycia laughs as she comes into view.

"I couldn't have said it better myself," I smirk and let out a laugh when Goam pouts.

"Can we have a tea party now?" Dottie asks, tugging on my skirt.

"Tea party!" Litta repeats happily.

"Dottie, Litta, I'm sure Nonna would like to rest for a bit," River says.

"Nonsense," I say as I wave her off.

"But, Mother, surely you would like to rest for a bit," Adson adds.

I give him a look I had perfected over the years of raising my three children. It is a mixture of a glare and an incredulous look, complete with a raised eyebrow. I cannot even begin to recount the number of times I've had to use this look, especially with him.

"You really should rest, Mother," he says, not relenting.

"I'm fine," I say stubbornly, and I swear I can hear Fiyero softly laughing at me.

While Dottie, Amalitta, and I are having our tea party, Rebekkah and her husband, Cean, arrive with Mikal, Rixen, and Maven.

"Hello, Mother," Rebekkah smiles as she comes into the parlor.

I slowly rise to my feet, swatting away Adson's "helping" hand, and approach my daughter. "Hello, Bekkah. Hello, Dhan."

"Hello, Mother," Dhan says as he hugs me.

Before I have the chance to say anything else, I hear a chorus of "Hi, Nonna!" and three pairs of hands engulf me.

I simply love group hugs with my grandchildren. "Hello, my darlings."

Mikal and Rixen, ages fourteen and twelve respectively, gently pull away after a while, but Maven stays attached to me. I rub her back softly. Out of all my grandchildren, Maven is the clingy one, which I completely understand. Rebekkah had been rather clingy when she was younger, and Maven was a complete carbon copy of her mother.

"Are you alright, Maven?" I ask the ten-year-old.

I feel Maven shake her head and I look up at Rebekkah.

"She's upset because we won't get her a puppy for her birthday," my younger daughter says with a slight sigh.

"I can remember a certain someone wanting a puppy for six years straight," I say knowingly.

"And looking back, I can see why you didn't get me one."

I hum and look back down at Maven. "And you think attaching yourself to me will get you a puppy, Maven?"

"It was worth a try," she says as she pulls away and goes to sit by the window.

I chuckle. "Where are Lyle and Windon?" I ask Falaycia.

"In their rooms," she says, then announces that she's going to get them.

A few moments later, I hear hurried footsteps come down the stairs and I see my two oldest grandchildren come into the parlor. Lyle is seventeen and every bit like me. He is studious, very book driven, and organized. Windon is fifteen and shy, but the girls love him. Like his brother, he mostly has his nose in a book, but unlike his brother, he is more willing to talk about what he thinks and feels.

We all gather together in the parlor for our little family reunion. Laycie and Rebekkah begin setting up a chessboard, while Adson pulls out a novel. Mikal, Rixen, and Windon play a card game on the floor, while Maven teaches me a string game called Cat's Cradle, which I picked up rather quickly, even though I don't know why it's called that if it involves neither a cat nor a cradle, but only a piece of string. Amalitta plays with Dottie's hair, while Lyle absent-mindedly looks out the window.

"Is everything alright, Lyle?" I ask him as Maven pinches the crossed strings and wraps them around her fingers before transferring the string to her hand.

He nods wordlessly before opening the book that sat on his lap. I want to ask him another question, but it's my turn to take the string from Maven.

As I look around at my family, I couldn't help but think about the missing faces. Of course there was Fiyero, but there was also Nessarose.

Nessa had married Boq and they lived happily in the village. A few years before Fiyero died, I got a message from Boq saying that she was very ill. I visited her and she died a few days later. She was sixty-four years old. I didn't see Boq very much after her funeral, and he died a few years later. I miss my sister dearly, and I feel like a part of me died with her.

"I'll be right back," I say, passing the string to Maven and slowly getting to my feet.

"Are you okay, Mother?" Falaycia asks.

"Yes." I roll my eyes. "I'm fine."

"Where are you going?"

I don't answer as I walk out the back door and through the gardens to the family cemetery. I just need some time alone. I stop in front of a very familiar grave and smile sadly.

 _Here lies Fiyero Liir Tigulaar-Thropp_

 _Eminent-Consort to Elphaba Melena Thropp_

 _Cherished Husband, Beloved Father, and Loving Grandfather_

 _May He Rest With The Unnamed God Forever_

"Hi, Yero."

Silence answers me back and I take a deep breath.

"Everyone is here today. Our three children and seven grandchildren are all under one roof together. It's actually quite peaceful. I wish you could see how much they've grown. I'm so proud of each and every one of them. River is pregnant with her third child, and between the two of us, I think it's another girl."

I sigh and lean against a nearby tree, brushing my long, grey hair away from my face. "I miss you, Yero. I miss you more than you could ever know, but I know that somewhere, you and Nessa are waiting for me with my parents, Nanny, Galinda, and everyone else we've loved over the years. But I won't rush. I can't. I love our children and grandchildren. I can't rush to leave them. I'm sorry, Yero."

I take off my glasses and wipe a tear from my eye. "I… I know it's only been nine years… but it seems like so much longer. I miss your smile, your laugh, your advice – whether good or not –, the way you would always make me smile when I had a bad day, your kisses, your –"

"Nonna?"

I gasp and turn sharply. I return my glasses to my face, seeing my eldest grandchild behind me. "Lyle? What are you doing out here?" I demand, placing my hand on my heart as I try to calm myself from the scare.

He doesn't answer me. Instead, he approaches me and looks down at the grave. "You miss Pappa, don't you?"

I smile softly at him. "Every day. I was just thinking about how he would have loved to see you all here together."

"I… I miss him, too."

"You remember him?" Lyle was only eight when Fiyero died, and my other grandchildren had been even younger, or not even born yet.

"A little. I remember how he used to do the funny voices when he read us stories, and how we would dance together during the Feast of Plenty."

I smile fondly. "When you were born, he was so excited at the thought of being a grandfather. He would take you out to the village and show you to whoever would look, which was everyone, of course. It scared your mother and father half to death."

"Why?"

"Because he would take you and not tell anyone." Lyle laughs and I smile, then think for a moment. "Lyle, does anyone know where you are right now?"

"Maybe."

I give him my signature look.

"No."

I slowly shake my head. "You left the house without telling anyone?"

"Maven wanted to paint my nails pink."

I chuckle. "They'll be looking for you… and for me too, I suppose. Let's go back inside." I wrap my arm around my grandson and we walk back inside together. Lyle gently leans closer to me and I try my best to hide my grin.

"Mom! Dottie is calling me 'Winnie' again!" is the first thing I hear upon reentering the house.

"Dothia, you know Windon doesn't like to be called that," I hear River chide, followed by a few giggles.

I have lived longer than my great-grandfather and out-reign him, as well. With sixty-eight years and counting, I am the longest reigning Eminent Thropp in Munchkinland history. But right now, I am simply 'Nonna', having to deal with the whines and pleads of my children and grandchildren.

"Nonna, can I have a cookie?"

"Nonna, tell Litta to stop poking me!"

"Mother, please tell Adson that _I'm_ your favorite."

And I wouldn't have it any other way.

* * *

 **The End.**

 **Thank you all for reading/ reviewing/ favoriting/ following me on this journey.**

 **My next story** ** _, 'Escape the Darkness'_** **, will be up in a few months.**


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